


Toothless Goes Courting

by Slate_Dragon



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Anal Sex, Bestiality, Comedy of Errors, F/M, Frottage, Illustrated, Illustrations, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Love Triangles, M/M, Multi, Not Safe for Berk, Oral Sex, POV Animal, Romantic Comedy, Size Difference, Threesome - F/M/M, Vaginal Sex, xenofiction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-28
Updated: 2015-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-15 03:43:35
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 25,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2214534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Slate_Dragon/pseuds/Slate_Dragon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Toothless decides it's high time he took a mate. How hard could it be?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

 

 

The cold woke me. I resisted, clinging to sleep with a paw draped over my eyes, but the stone beneath me was already chilly and I couldn’t keep up the pretense for long. With a weary smack of my lips, I stretched the ache from my muscles and let my wings fan away the mist that had crawled in as I dozed. When I had chosen the rock to nap on, the sun had been bearing down hard. Now the clouds were low and dark, so heavy with rain they scraped themselves on the peak of the island. I cast about and found something else had changed as I slept.

I’d been abandoned.

I called an unhappy question, but the forest swallowed the sound and the clearing fell silent again. I hopped down off my napping rock and swept off in search of my companion, down toward the shore where we live. My tail was limp, so I was forced to walk, which made me slower, which made me anxious. Before long the clouds opened and rain began to spatter me. It was too wet and it leeched the warmth from my wingtips, but that only urged me to run faster.

The rain was coming down hard by the time I reached the colony, and the earth and skies were both deserted as the flocks fled to shelter. I called for my companion as I bounded among the nests, but my voice failed to carry in the rain and no one answered. Before long I'd searched the usual places, and then the unusual ones, and still I hadn't found him.

It was more by luck than by my own cleverness that I finally had any success. Crossing from one path to another, I heard the bite of a human's tool-stones on wood. I turned the corner and there was Fishbone, my rider and fellow alpha. I gave him that name myself, the day we met. He's small and skinny and he doesn't weigh anything. And he's fragile. I warbled a greeting to him and didn’t conceal my worry. Humans get sick in the rain.

He cut a lonely figure, hunched on top of one of big hollow nests the humans had built for us, heedless of the wet and cold. Pausing as I approached, he waved an arm in greeting and called his name for me.

I’ve often wondered what that particular _Thump-Hiss_ might mean. Something grand and dignified, I’m sure.

I hopped up to join him and get a better look at what he was doing. One of the wooden slabs that keeps the rain outside had been broken by some careless dragon. Fishbone had all his tool-stones laid out and was trying to attach a new one, hindered by the rain making everything slippery and cold. Curious, I took a peek through the hole and was irritated to find dragons huddled against the wall within, too lazy and comfortable to come outside and help. I gave them a snarl of reprimand that had them cringing. It was one thing to get a little soft with all the nice things humans made for us, but it was another to cower in your den while an alpha needed help. For a moment I was tempted to open some more holes to make sure they got wet, but I didn’t want to make more work for Fishbone.

Instead I moved away from the hole so my rider would have room to make his repairs. I circled around behind him and extended a wing to shield him from the rain. He stopped to wipe the water out of his head-fluff and warbled his sounds for _friendship_ and _gratitude_. He was smiling. It had been a chore to convince the other dragons that the humans weren't snarling when they showed us their teeth, but I suppose it had been easier for me, learning about humans one-on-one. I was just happy to have found him before he got a chill.

Part of me wanted to chide him. An alpha couldn’t be spending himself on every little problem that came up. Surely one of his flock would be better suited to banging a new slab into place. But I know him. He’d never ask one of his humans to risk getting sick in the rain, and he’d never let my dragons suffer without cause. So he did the simplest thing, in his mind, and shouldered the burden himself.

Put like that, I couldn’t really be upset. He gave freely of himself to help others. It was the best quality you could have in an alpha, one I often struggled with as I quelled the endless squabbling among the newly-combined dragon flocks. Still, just because Fishbone is willing to suffer doesn’t mean he has to. He’s lucky I’m around.

Fishbone got back to work and I took the opportunity to survey our domain. The rain turned everything past a wingspan to silver shadows, but in my mind’s eye I could see the neat little rows of man-roosts, broken by the bigger silhouettes of dragon nests like this one. I remembered when the flock had first come to this colony. It had been a miracle how quickly the humans had taken to us, how eager they were to be friends after the battle with the old alpha. It was only later, speaking with my new wingmates, that I learned how Fishbone had taught the other men how to talk to us rather than trying to kill us. Even when he’d been the smallest and weakest, he’d been trying to lead them.

Movement caught my eye. A pair of spike-tails came dashing in, fleeing the rain long after it had begun, to alight in the entrance of one of the other dragon-roosts. I wondered for a moment if there had been some trouble that had kept them away, but then they had barely set down before they were nuzzling and preening each other and I recognized them: a pair of new mates, probably off frolicking somewhere.

A lot of dragons had been pairing off, lately. With the wars over and the humans spoiling us, the mingling of the three flocks had meant that everybody got their pick of potential partners. In fact, the only ones who seemed completely unaffected were the island’s leaders. We’ve gone about it a bit backwards, I suppose. Winning a mate is supposed to be easier than becoming alpha. But then, Fishbone and I were never ones for tradition.

Mating seasons had come and gone a few times since I came of age, but I had never felt any particular stirring. The other dragons were all the wrong shape, not to mention covered in spikes, and since there could be no breeding with them I took comfort in blessed solitude. There are worse things in the world, I had always told myself, than to be strong and alone.

But then I met Fishbone and our injuries bound us together. Neither of us will ever be strong and alone now. Instead we are even stronger _together._ Neither of us alone could have stopped the fighting, or killed the old alpha, or combined three great flocks into one. We would never have become the two mighty leaders of our island. More likely we would be dead, or lonely.

And as I watched my clever, brave little human work, it occurred to me, not for the first time, that there are reasons besides siring a clutch that a dragon might take a mate. A mate is supposed to be the other half of you, but I had never looked for that because I already had it. Fishbone and I were bound together so tightly that at times I felt I could barely _breathe_ without him. Nothing could defeat us and nothing could separate us.

Fishbone was far and away the likeliest potential mate on the island. If only he knew it.

I wasn’t the only one who’d noticed, either. The whole flock was aware that their alphas were unattached, and naturally that made us subject to a lot of attention. They hadn’t even had the decency to confine their advances to mating season, more interested in status than eggs. When it had finally gotten through to the flock that I wasn’t particularly interested, they had turned their attentions to Fishbone, who is so dense and friendly they thought he was encouraging them. It had taken _ages,_ but they were leaving him alone for the time being.

I had been so relieved when they had backed off, and I hadn’t known why at first. Since then, I’d put some thought into it. The worst thing about Fishbone taking another mate would be having to share him. The idea of another having a claim on him brought my teeth out, and it made me think differently about something I had already known: Fishbone was my _other half_.

New slab in place, my rider stuffed the tool-stone he’d been using into the fold of his furs, thanked me again, and turned to climb down off the roof. I followed him to the edge and made sure my outstretched wing was still shielding him, even as he descended. Then we headed off for home together with him pressed against my flank where I could keep him dry and warm.

It may have taken me too long to realize how I felt, but that didn’t mean I couldn’t act on it. Already my mind was whirling, spinning plans and possibilities. It would have to be properly done, of course. Nothing but the best for Fishbone. Lucky for me, the first step would be easy enough. It was something I already did.

With my wing across his shoulders, I promised to protect him.

~

Treetops slapped at my wingtips as I struggled toward the colony with my burden. The deer was big enough to throw me off-balance and its antlers kept trying to swing up and stick me in the belly as I lurched through the air. I set down in the big open space in front of our night-nest, careful not to damage my prize. My chest heaved as I took a moment to recover from the trip. Flying with my locked-tail is tricky enough without such a burden to worry about.

I nosed it around until it was laying on its side and I could inspect it one last time. There was nothing so splendid on the colony’s island, of course. Not with a flock of our size eating everything in sight. This deer had been on a big island toward the rising sun, getting big and fat with no one to bother it. It had taken forever to find. I had managed to kill it by dropping onto its neck, using my weight instead of my claws to keep it perfectly intact. It looked as though it might spring up and run off into the forest if I wasn't careful.

Feeling terribly pleased with myself, I pulled in my teeth and gently wrapped my jaws around the deer's middle. I lifted my head high so it wouldn’t drag and headed down the path toward Fishbone's day-nest. I could have flown there directly, but then I would be denying myself the chance to show off my offering. Any other dragons that had their eye on Fishbone needed to know how well I planned to feed him, almost as much as Fishbone himself did.

I got the reaction I was looking for. Single dragons caught sight of me and their wings drooped in dismay. Mated dragons looked to their partners, suddenly appraising. I may have strutted, a bit. An alpha is allowed to strut. No one tried to steal the deer from me.

Privately, I began to wonder if my offering might be too good, especially for so early in the courtship. I had been hunting for days and I had found what must have been the biggest, fattest deer on the island. Fishbone would naturally want to outdo it with his own gift and I didn't see how he was going to manage it. Perhaps I should have started with a nice shiny rock, and saved the deer for last to seal my victory. I shook the thought away as I neared my destination. The deer wouldn't be fresh if I tried to save it for later, and I wouldn’t be able to find another as nice. Besides, Fishbone was clever. He could come up with something.

One of the marks of Fishbone’s status, even before he became an alpha, is that he gets to keep two nests. The night-nest is the big one at the top of the colony that we had once shared with his sire, where we sleep and play and look out over our domain. It's in a good place for everyone to find us when there's trouble.

But the day-nest, nestled in the heart of the colony where he can be most useful, is where my Fishbone works wonders.

Most dragons know that the mountains have bones, rivers of shiny rock that flow up from the depths to sparkle and glitter. Sometimes we pry them out to line our nests, or as gifts to win our mates. Somehow Fishbone has learned the secrets of these special rocks. He takes great piles of them and puts them in a fire so hot they start to melt and weep like ice in sunlight. Then he makes it freeze again into the shape of anything he wants. Teeth that bite through anything, or scales no claw can pierce. But he's at his best when he's making things full of little clever parts that move like living creatures. I'm certain he made all my tails at his day-nest.

It had occurred to me while I was hunting that the tails themselves may have been courtship presents. Each new replacement moved a little smoother, or weighed a little less, or did some clever trick. It spoke of the kind of eager, clumsy courting a juvenile might attempt, rushing over himself with better and better presents without giving his partner a chance to reciprocate.

Eventually I decided that wasn’t the case. Whenever Fishbone comes to me with a new tail, he always makes sure it’s comfortable for me, but he never seems to be waiting for my approval or praise. The gleam in his eye would speak of a challenge overcome, or of work to be done. He makes the tails to improve his own skills as much as for my benefit.

I paused outside the entrance to savour the heat of the fires rolling out to meet me. I gave myself one last-minute inspection to make sure I looked my best, then I held the deer up high and strode in. I heard Fishbone before I saw him, using one shiny tooth to smack another into the proper shape before it had completely hardened. He saw me and turned to greet me, eyes wide in surprise at my burden. It took all the restraint I had to approach him with the proper ceremony and lay down my offering. Even so I wriggled all over in anticipation.

With the deer at his feet, I promised to provide for him.

~

I spent the rest of the day sulking near our night-nest, watching my hard-won gift go to waste.

Yet another man arrived to take away a chunk of the rapidly-dwindling carcass and I bit back a moan of frustration and despair. It was one thing to have an offering rejected by a potential mate, but it hurt just as much to have it not even be recognized as an offering in the first place -- more, actually, because I had no idea what to do about it. Certainly Fishbone had been happy to receive the deer, had scratched and petted and praised me. But he’d only thought I'd been doing my part to feed the island. He hadn't realized I’d meant the deer for him alone.

I didn't stir as a pair of big male humans sauntered by, laughing their strange hooting laugh. I tolerated a friendly pat on my shoulder. If nothing else, I've found a way to patch things up the next time my dragons break something important. Everyone likes deer in their belly.

I eventually grew thirsty and shifted myself to get a drink from the pond. A thought occurred as I caught the reflection of my stern, preoccupied eyes in the water: What if Fishbone didn't think he was worthy to be my mate?

Arching my neck to preen a bit, I considered the possibility. It made a certain amount of sense. I was fairly magnificent, all glossy black scales and sleek, elegant ridges. I concentrated and brought up my _inner-fire,_ admiring the way the light from my glowing hide danced on the water and made me look even more splendid. If Fishbone didn't think he measured up, he may have made himself willfully blind, deliberately failing to see my advances.

But the more I thought about it the less sense it made. Fishbone was every bit my equal, and he had to know it. Even though he was scrawny, he had earned a place as alpha of his people; and he’d done it not with strength and fear but with kindness and cunning. They didn't follow because they thought he would —or even could-— hurt him, they followed because they knew his leadership would see them safe and victorious. Surely he knew how impressive that was. In the end, I decided it made more sense that he was simply unaware of my feelings.

And besides, Fishbone was always so happy when his people and mine cooperated, and what was mating but a vow of lifelong cooperation? He’d obviously jump at the chance, once he knew I was offering.

Reassured, I returned to Fishbone's day-den and took up my customary spot on the roof to mull the matter over some more. As I settled in to enjoy the warmth of the fires on my belly, I noticed movement further up the slope. Fishbone's subordinates had emerged from the Big Cave and were heading into the forest on some errand of idle mischief. The only one missing was the beta, a friend of Fishbone’s who had more sense than to waste time in such a way. I rankled for a moment that they were acting without their alpha's blessing, but I'd found that Fishbone didn't usually care about that kind of thing, so long as they were around when we needed them.

I liked Fishbone’s beta. She complimented his leadership well. She was always springing into action when he took too long to think, or breaking up little disputes before they needed to involve him. And she was always first to his side when he needed aid. I wondered, idly, if I could get her to help me. Surely she wanted to see her alpha happily mated.

The sight of them got me thinking. Gossip among my wingmates held that one of the females —the only one currently present— was being competed over by two of the males. She was being fickle about it, but for the moment the fat one had the advantage. It had sparked a lengthy debate between Stoneskull and Snag-Teeth regarding whether this was to be allowed, and who should be giving courtship offerings, and what they ought to be. Snag-Teeth had been offended that no one was showing any interest in the male twin, while Stoneskull had argued that it left the two-headed dragon with one to spare. He needn't be so fussy in his negotiations if he had another rider to consider.

In the end, nothing had come of it. The dragons had given their blessing when it became clear the humans didn't know to ask for it, and the courtship had progressed without many gifts given on either side, it seemed. I remembered being curious at the time, surprised by the lack of propriety. How else would you go about it?

Now I was more than curious. Even as I watched, the two in question lingered back from the group to exchange a caress of hands and a tender smile. They broke off from the others and I felt my ears perk as a brilliant idea struck me.

If Fishbone didn't know dragon courtship when he saw it, maybe I could woo him like a human.

~

The growing shadows among the man-roosts were my shelter, hiding me from my quarry. Flying would have been easier, but, even though Fishbone locks up my tail so I can fly on my own when we’re apart, I’m always a little loud and clumsy without him. Besides, I would have a better view from the ground.

The couple were moving together along the seaward edge of the colony. I slunk behind, always just out of sight, blending into the darkness like the master hunter I am. And if a human or two tripped over me as they went between the nests, it was hardly my fault.

The island was never terribly large, but with three dragon flocks —to say nothing of the humans’ swelling numbers— it was sometimes hard to find a place to yourself. The fat male had managed it, though. He pulled her through a gap in the nests, then through a little patch of trees. It was too narrow to get through and I had to go around. By the time I found them and hid to watch them from the bushes, they were both sitting on a rock and watching the sun descend.

He sidled a little closer, and she cast about to make sure no one was watching before resting her weight against him. They talked for a long time, resting their weight against one another and gently stroking their hands against the other’s leg or face or hands. Every now and then they would look away from the lowering sun to stare into each other’s eyes, then lean in and touch their lips together.

It seemed straightforward, from what I could see. Privacy, constant touching, gentle conversation. I could do all that. More or less.

The more I watched, though, the more I felt a crawling horror of recognition. I had _seen_ this behaviour before. It was the same way Fishbone would cavort with his beta, the yellow-headed female. The closeness, the cuddling, the touching of lips. I had thought it was some sort of bonding ritual, like grooming or racing, and that only she got to do it with him because she was his second. What I’d taken for loyal service had been a courtship all along!

Mind whirling, I sat down hard on my haunches. In hindsight it explained a lot, like the change in Fishbone’s behaviour in her presence, always trying to preen himself when she wasn’t looking. Clearly he was aware of _her_ courtship, and had been responding.

I snorted my irritation and the couple squawked in surprise and alarm, glaring at me through the fading light for interrupting them. I must have killed the mood because the female dashed off and Fishbone’s fat subordinate croaked at me in reproach. It didn’t matter. I’d seen enough. I untangled myself from the bushes and stormed away before Snag-Teeth could come by and complain at me for interfering.

I grumbled at the unfairness of it all. What did she have that I didn’t? She didn’t have glorious wings or mighty fire or even a proper set of teeth! She didn’t need Fishbone like I did, didn’t complete him. All she had was being the same species as Fishbone. And being able to bear his pups for him. And being female, which apparently he preferred. And the fact that she had been pursuing him for years already, right under my nose.

Drat.

Did human courtship really take so long? I had thought Snag-Teeth’s female had only been taking her time to let the males fight over her, but even with no competition Fishbone’s beta had been after him for _ages._ The thought was disheartening, and it meant I had a lot of time to make up for. Dragon courtship could be over in a day, with a bit of luck. A moon at the very most.

It didn’t take long for me to track down Fishbone, but to my endless irritation he was already talking with _her._ He barely had time to chirp a greeting before I’d shoved my head between his legs and tossed him up onto my back. I spared the usurper one last baleful look and dashed off toward the forest, Fishbone squawking in protest all the way.

I scrabbled and half-flew up the great stone spire that stands above our colony, outrunning the line of darkness creeping up it as the sun went to bed. Eventually Fishbone managed to swing himself around to work my tail properly, so I was able to fly us up the very top. It’s not as useful a lookout as you might think, since it’s so high above the nest you can’t actually see anything properly. But it’s private and it lets us see the sunset setting the ocean on fire, and it’s somewhere Fishbone’s beta could never have brought him

Talking to humans, even the clever ones like Fishbone, is almost never worth it. For anything but the most basic, obvious of messages you have to be _loud_ and _slow_ and _clear_ and it still takes forever for them to understand anything. It must be just as frustrating for them, yammering away all day making no sense.

To deal with humans you have to _show_ them. Grab them and drag them off if you have to, do some ridiculous dance, anything to make them understand. So I shook Fishbone off my shoulders and plunked him down beside me so we could watch the sun go to bed.

He kept ruining it by trying to move, but I only had to snarl at him a few times before he learned to sit still enjoy the view. He’s very clever, when he isn’t being stupid.

When I judged we had stared at the sun for long enough, I turned to him and scooped him up in my front paws and looked deep into his eyes. I didn’t stop when he babbled at me, and I didn’t let him wriggle away. Eventually he sighed, resigned, and caressed the spot between my eyes, murmuring bewildered affection.

Then, as the sun kissed the horizon and all the colours flared to their brightest, I closed the distance between us and pressed my lips to his.

I let the kiss linger for a moment like I’d seen with the other couple, then pulled back. I pondered the experience. It had been a little strange, but very intimate. It left my lips tingling. I decided I liked it.

He had peeped in surprise and gone stiff in my embrace at the first touch of my lips. Now he blinked at me, gaping like a fish. But he didn’t scold me for my boldness or try to get away. He touched his lips and murmured to himself, then scritched me under the chin. I decided to call it a victory.

I abandoned my sleeping-slab that night and poked and prodded Fishbone until he let me climb into his pile of furs with him. It wasn’t the first time, but usually I only bother him about it when something bad has happened and I want to make sure he’s safe even in sleep. It was something I had that the yellow-headed female didn’t, to curl up around Fishbone and croon him to sleep, letting him know he was safe and loved.

And even though he squirmed and complained, I knew that Fishbone liked it. He drifted off in the crook of my arm without any of his usual tossing and turning, and I got to feel his heartbeat against my paw as I went to sleep myself.

~

I made sure to follow him closely the next few days, taking lots of extra time to be affectionate toward my prospective mate. He seemed nonplussed at first, but I knew that deep down he liked the attention.

Courting like a human is a lot less stressful, even if it does take too long. No worrying about gifts or competing or showing off. Just a lot of cuddling and petting and reassurance. I was getting better at kissing like a human, too. I was sure of it. Fishbone barely protested at all anymore, though I was careful never to do it whenever anyone is around so he didn’t get jumpy. Privacy is very important to humans.

And even though it sometimes pained me, I was careful, so careful not to push too hard. There has never been a better friend than Fishbone. Even if he wouldn't have me as his mate I didn’t want to lose that by scaring him, by making him think I would ever do anything to hurt him.

Things went on like that for a little while. Fishbone eventually got used to my hovering, and stopped resisting my displays of affection. I even learned to help him in his day-nest, using my flame to soften mountain-bones that were cooling before he wanted them to. Then at night we would curl up together in his bed, another change he had given up fighting. My sleeping slab had fallen into such disuse that Fishbone had started using it to store odds and ends.

It was a good routine, and I felt I was making progress, if only slowly. Then, one night, everything changed.

Fishbone was fidgeting in his sleep, despite how late it was, and it was keeping me awake. I tightened my forelegs around him and murmured to be _still_. Our days were busy enough without our nights being restless as well.

Eventually I paused to listen to the particular rhythm of his breathing, to feel the oddly regular movements of him against me. Fishbone was awake. I craned my neck to look at him properly and saw he was tracing the thick scales of my forelegs with his fleshy claw-digits, lost in thought. I bumped his ear with my nose and whuffled, trying to soothe whatever was bothering him. His eyes flicked up to me and he murmured an apology, reaching up to caress my face. There was a moment of pleasant stillness between us, listening to the night-sounds of the colony and the closer heaving of each other’s breath. Then Fishbone jerked forward and pressed his lips, briefly, to mine.

For a moment I froze. Then I gave him my longest, happiest croon as something unwound deep in my breast, a tension I hadn’t even realized I carried. Finally, _finally,_ he had come around. I rubbed my forehead against his, slurped my tongue across his face, fluttered my lips against his again. He laughed and batted at me, grabbing my by the sides of my head to keep me still for another, longer kiss. We stayed like that for a few moments, getting used to the new intimacy. Then he laid back on the bed and I followed, cuddling in close and crooning.

With my nose buried in against his throat, I inhaled his subtly-changing scent and made up my mind. There was a time for hesitation, for being tentative, and this was not it. I rolled, bringing myself over him, watching him swallow as I dwarfed him in the bed. Crooning my affection, I gently brushed my paw along his belly, working it in slow circles. On one pass my paw slipped beneath his false-hide, and he shivered at the touch of my scales along his ribs, his scent sharpening further. The new knowledge made me smile. So much more sensitive without the skins.

A few insistent tugs on the garment before he got the message, squirming around my kisses long enough to wriggle out of it and toss it aside. Immediately my attention went to the newly-bare parts of him, but he tensed. Too far, too fast again. But I only slowed, I didn't stop. With tender care, I pressed my nose, then my tongue against his breastbone. I roamed my paws over him the way I thought a human might, all smooth, easy motions. At every step I listened. If Fishbone made any sound of protest I would withdraw. But if he didn’t…

If he didn’t stop me, I was going to show him exactly what he did to me.

My hindlegs stepped off the bed as I nuzzled and petted my way down his body. I think I knocked over his spare foot, but neither of us paid it much mind. For my part, I was too busy dragging my nose along the trail of little hairs on Fishbone’s belly. They led into a shallow little hole that made him squawk and thrash when I poked my tongue into it. I filled my nose with his scent as it changed, stronger and mustier than before.

I climbed properly onto the bed with him again, wings extended to help me balance above him on the soft, uncertain surface, stirring up the smells of fur and straw and enticing little human. Fishbone protested, but only until I got far enough up to sit on his legs. Then he stared. Following his gaze, I saw he was staring at my member, emerged from my slit and bobbing above his belly. He looked a little astonished, which made me preen and waggle it for him. I pawed at the skins he wore over his legs and mewled. I wanted to see him, too.

He resisted, but only a little. Then he was fumbling to shed the skins, moreso than he might have been normally since I didn’t feel like getting off his legs. I tilted my head when he was done. I wasn’t sure what I’d been expecting, but I was still surprised. Everything was so _little_ , and it was all on the outside. I prodded his member, hard as it was, to confirm that yes, he didn’t even have a slit to hide it in when he wasn’t using it. I huffed in amusement. No wonder they cover themselves up.

Then I realized, belatedly, that Fishbone was hard, that he had gasped and shuddered when I’d poked his maleness. Gingerly, I poked it again, letting the rough top edge of my claw trail along the underside of his member.

He arched his back and squirmed, and the sound he made! It burrowed into me and made me feel warm and proud and almost hungry. It made my member surge and spatter Fishbone’s thigh with slick juices. I adjusted to get a little more comfortable and out malenesses brushed against one another, drawing a hiss of pleasure from both of us. I pressed forward so it would happen again and didn’t want to stop. I gave him my best, happiest smile and wiggled forward until we were pressed flush against each other. I realized that this part of human courtship wasn’t all that different than it would be for dragons.

With my flesh against his, I promised to give him pleasure.

I rolled my hips, pressing Fishbone into the nest of furs and dragging a hiss of pleasure from both of us. He looked wide eyed and uncertain so I crooned reassurance as I bore down with tender pressure. His member was as little as the rest of him, but it still made for lovely friction as I ground against his soft, soft skin. I hunched over him and waggled my tongue down at him. It felt _so good!_

He mewled and wriggled back up against me, legs thumping my flanks as he called my name, again and again. _Thump-Hiss, Thump-Hiss._ He wrapped his forepaws around my girth and this clever little claws that work miracles seemed to pounce on every tender spot I had.

Something was building, deep in my belly. It made me shiver and moan and drop to all fours above Fishbone. With my legs surrounding him like a cage, I bore down on my little lover, sliding my shaft across his soft belly in long, loving strokes. His little paws scrambled to keep up, dancing along my length and keeping our members rubbing against each other. If I was far enough forward, sometimes his hips would press forward and his member would press just right against a pleasure-place at the base of my own.

Something sparked inside me and I felt my teeth come out. I arched my back and bellowed at the ceiling as my climax hit, rolling in wonderful waves from my belly in both directions along my spine. My pride surged and my seed spilled out against Fishbone’s paws and belly, and then I lost track of anything as pleasure overwhelmed me and I did everything I could to bear down on him, to get _more!_

The tension left me all at once and I could breathe again, hollow and dazed. I commanded my bones to move and after a moment they obeyed. I had to twist a bit to look down at Fishbone, and when I did I had to stifle a laugh. He was laying stock-still, breathing hard, staring up at me in a daze and still gripping my softening member. His chin and chest were plastered with my seed. I guess I must have surprised him.

Crooning my affection, I gently extracted myself from his grip and leaned in to lick him clean. I began under his chin, and rather than chirp and push me away like he usually does, he gave a low moan and arched into my tongue. He only got louder as I worked across his bony chest, and I grinned to myself. When I reached the junction of his chest I let myself hower and watch. Fishbone was still hard, straining up toward my muzzle. The poor thing must not have climaxed when I had.

Fishbone was watching me now. I opened my mouth and he swallowed. I let my tongue flop out and waggle and he stopped breathing. Then I touched the very tip of my tongue to the very tip of his member and he moaned and bucked, little maleness surging. I blinked as a dollop spattered my nose, the rest getting his belly messy again or running down his shaft. It was all right that he had gotten it on me. It smelled like Fishbone, and it meant I’d done a good job pleasuring him.

I curled myself around him as he panted, ignoring his protests and the mess still covering him. We could clean up later. Life was too good to worry about being a little sticky. I burrowed my nose into the crook of Fishbone’s neck and told him how happy I was. We had mated! Sort of. Close enough. We could figure it out properly later.

For now, it was late and we had worn each other out. I turned Fishbone around so he could rest his head on my foreleg and together we faded into sleep.

 

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Toothless, having taken the first steps in wooing his preferred partner, must now find a way to finalize the bonding, while making it clear to the little human exactly what is expected of him.

It was early, and the sun was only beginning to chase away the cold that clung to the island colony. It was better inside the nests, where clever human wood-shaping traps the heat of our fires and theirs to keep us warm all the time. It's cozy as sleeping in a pile of flock-mates, only you don't have to worry about getting squished, or being squeezed out and left in the cold. You could just stay in your spot and soak up the heat all day, if you wanted. And if you weren't alpha.

At that moment, though, sleep was the last thing on my mind. Fishbone and I had an important errand to run, but he had a surprise for me first.

I dug my claws into the floor as I stood on my hindlegs, struggling not to overbalance and fall over. My wings flared wide, brushing the inner walls of our night-nest, doing my absolute best to keep still. I was doing a good job, too. The only parts of me I couldn’t keep from twitching were my eyes along the length of Fishbone’s body and my member against the gentle touch of his paw. 

My breathing was shallow and rapid with the effort to restrain myself, to allow my little human to explore. This was a first, and I didn’t want to spook him by being too eager. We’d had a few intimate moments since that first night in his bed, but it had always been me to make the overture. This was the first time it had been _his_ idea, stopping me with a paw on my shoulder as I headed for our bed, caressing my frills with growing tenderness, finding one spot in particular that made me rumble with desire. He favoured me with a soft kiss in that strange human way. I nuzzled him and pretended I couldn’t smell how nervous he was.

Bare to the waist, he’d knelt between my hind legs and thumped a paw on my chest to make me rear up and give him room. It didn’t take him long to coax my drakehood out, not with the way he caressed the tender scales of my sheath.

Now I was bracing a forepaw against the wall for support. I purred encouragement at Fishbone and did my best not to buck against his explorations. With the light on his face I could see that look in his eyes, the gleam he gets when something new has caught his attention. That gleam was as much a victory as I could have asked for, and the biggest leap forward in our courtship so far. He was curious, and when Fishbone gets curious nothing can stop him.

His touch was feather-light as it traveled along my length, teasing and learning its contours. Whenever he found a spot that made me rumble with particular pleasure, he would stop and pay it special attention just to make me wriggle. He was smiling, having fun, babbling either to me or to himself. I can never tell.

I rolled my hips into his caresses, even though he wanted me to hold still. I couldn’t help it. It felt so _good_ to have his paws on me, so _right_. I kept having to remind myself that my work wasn’t over. As much fun as we’d been having, we hadn’t consummated our courtship. Fishbone wasn’t mine yet. Not quite.

My little human seemed pleased with himself, and he had a right to be. He made little happy sounds every time I twitched in his paw, flinching as my juices splattered his face from time to time. Eventually his pace slowed, just as I was getting close to my release, the rhythm of those little pads easing back to a caress that kept my fire burning without stoking it. I thought he must have gotten tired, so I pried my eyes open and lowered my head so I could talk to him—just in time to see him lean forward, mouth open, and take the tip of me past his lips!

 _This_ was new. I shuddered hard, claws scraping deep into the wall. His lips sealed tight around my length, suckling softly. Fishbone gave a little moan of pleasure and when I realised it meant he liked my taste I nearly lost my mind. I towered over him, completely at his mercy, and never once did I feel his teeth on me as he carefully slipped himself deeper onto me.

I meant to warn him, really I did. But he slipped his little paws down the length of me and dipped them _into_ my sheath and the whole world collapsed to the places where his flesh was touching mine. All I could do was grunt in pleasure as my whole body shuddered, again and again, pouring my seed out in great glorious volleys. By the time my vision cleared I was spent, and Fishbone was on his rump between my legs. He coughed and grumbled at me, trying without much success to wipe my seed from his face.

With a contrite warble, I set about cleaning my lover off, no easy feat with the mess he’d made of himself. Eventually I resorted to popping his whole head in my mouth and suckling to clean my seed out of his head-fluff, ignoring his little paws thumping against my chest and neck in protest. It was his own fault, and I told him so. If he was going to be that good at mating, he would have to expect to get a little messy from time to time. 

Fishbone complained a lot after I was done, and took a long time to preen himself, as though I hadn’t done a good job licking him clean. I may have slowed him down a little when I gave in to temptation and nipped him in the rump, both to remind him that we still had a little ways to go before we were truly mated, and because it’s fun to make him jump. By the time he was willing to leave the nest we were running late. I didn’t have time for a proper breakfast and had to stuff my mouth with fish and try to eat as we flew. I got most of it down, and only dropped a little of it.

We only had a little way to go, but I urged Fishbone to loop wide and high so we could see the island beneath us. We were going to be busy all day and I wanted to make sure everything was peaceful before we started. Satisfied, I let my rider bring us round the spire of the island, bringing into view a little patch of land with a little man-roost, a gaggle of lounging dragons, and a single human female.

We had come across Fishbone’s dam while we were out exploring, right at the end of the old days but before all the bad things that led to my becoming alpha. When everything had settled down afterwards, she had joined our flock along with the rest of the old alpha’s dragons.

Fishbone's dam is special. She would have to be, I suppose. Broad-Horn told me the story of how he found her, the only human on the island trying to talk and not just swing pointy things at people. So he brought her to the Old Alpha's lair to learn to talk properly. I wish he'd taught Fishbone as well, though that might have meant I never would have met him. Apparently it took a long time. But it was worth it. She’s far and away the most helpful member of our flock.

She had lived with Fishbone and I in our night-nest for a little while, but I think she had a hard time getting used to all the people after so long living with dragons. Broad-Horn tells me she’s been part of his flock for years without any people around at all. So Fishbone, in a masterstroke, had built her and Broad-Horn a nest of their own a little distance from the center of the colony, and tasked her with caring for dragons who were sick or hurt enough to need help getting by. Now both she and they get only as much time with humans as they’re comfortable with. Fishbone makes a point to visit every few days. It was good to see them, and to let the injured dragons know they were part of the flock too, and weren’t being ignored. Fishbone’s dam was already outside, waiting for us. She waved her arms in a human greeting as we approached and I called back. That woke Broad-Horn from his nap, and he rose as we landed to shake himself and say hello.

Broad-Horn is the _best_. He’s big and generous and he knows all kinds of tricks for talking with humans. He also knows a thing or two about keeping track of a fragile little rider with more courage than sense, which makes him nice to complain to.

I wish he would agree to be my beta. He’s the biggest dragon on the island, which makes everyone take him seriously without really thinking about it, and even though that would be really really useful he keeps saying no. He’s put off by all the strange dragons and people, I think. He was happier when it was just him and Fishbone’s dam and no one really asked much of him.

I know how he feels. There are days when Fishbone and I don’t get to see each other at all, when he has to stay in the Big Cave sorting out human problems and I’m running around like a hatchling keeping the dragons from breaking the rules. It had been so much easier in the early days, before all the responsibility. But we’re the only ones who can protect everyone, and we can’t do that unless they listen to us.

And if I weren’t alpha, some other dragon might think they could get into my head and tell me what to do. I will _never_ let that happen again, and I’ll keep it from happening to any dragon who follows me.

We got to work. We all stood across from one another and Fishbone and I watched as Broad-Horn and his human partner made a show of talking to each other, all big, simple sounds and motions. Then they would stop, waiting for us to mimic them.

It was strange to learn to speak to Fishbone, after knowing him so well for so long. It was hard for me to understand the strange yapping noises humans learn to talk, especially since hardly any of them came out right when I tried them. But at the same time his dam was teaching him that I don’t only talk with my mouth like humans do. He learned quickly, and was eager to practice. It got to be fun, after a while. I could tell him how much I wanted to mate with him when we were out with his pack, and he couldn’t do anything but blush while the other dragons laughed at him.

I had less luck trying to speak like a human. Part of the problem is that I don’t think even they understand how they talk. Fishbone might spend all day trying to teach me a hundred different squawk and chirps —I think he makes up new ones to tease me; there can’t possibly be that many— but the whole time the way he’s standing and the tone of his voice and the set of his jaw are screaming _love-patience-frustration_. He doesn’t even realize he’s doing it, but if he’d only stop and pay attention to what his own body was doing he might be able to teach me properly, instead of rattling off a bunch of noises he knows I can’t even make.

When the sun was high and Fishbone and I were starting to get impatient with one another, his dam chirped and we took a break to eat. She has a little food-hollow for the injured dragons, and Fishbone arranges for one of our pack to bring in fish to feed them every day. Today it was Snag-Teeth, who stopped long enough for their humans to complain at their alpha and to get a little griping of their own in regarding not being allowed to eat the fish, then went off to get up to who-knows-what.

It had been a busy morning, and everyone must have been hungry. Still, the injured dragons held back from the food, and it wasn't until I noticed all their eyes on me that I understood why. They were waiting for their alpha to eat first.

I had run into this a few times since taking charge of the flock, not just from the new dragons but the ones I had lived with for years already. Normally, it's fine. I even enjoy it. I hadn't planned on becoming alpha, but it was hard to do and it's been a lot of work since and it's nice to be appreciated for it. But it was different with these dragons, the sick and injured. It felt wrong to take food from them, even if they were especially grateful to be free of the Dark Alpha. And it was different with Broad-Horn, too. It feels _wrong_ to see him giving way to me, when he's so much bigger and older and more experienced than I am.

I shook off the funny feeling and bounded over to the pile of fish. A few quick mouthfuls and I retreated to where Fishbone and his dam were waiting, trying not to look like I was rushing. I'm not sure I succeeded, because I heard Broad-Horn chuckling at me. 

The older dragon joined us once he'd gotten his own food, settling down around the female the way I had Fishbone. The humans were eating too, but like everything else they do, eating takes _forever_. They always burn everything they eat, which doesn't make any sense because they can't make fire on their own. How did they ever figure out they liked it that way? Fishbone doesn’t like it when I try to help, either, even though I can burn it a lot faster and more thoroughly than he can.

Fishbone’s dam was showing deference too, insisting that he eat first even though she wasn’t done burning her own food. As with most things, Fishbone is more gracious about this kind of thing than I am.

Fishbone cooed at me and rubbed my head while he ate, and I purred and snuggled closer around him. At least Fishbone never changed. I don’t know if I could have borne it if he had suddenly started acting like he had to give way to me. It’s good that we both became alpha at the same time. I might go crazy without someone I could talk to, even if he doesn’t understand most of it.

Sometimes, when we've had a long, good day together, I look at Fishbone and see a dragon, as though something went funny in his egg and he was born in the wrong body. His dam, though, has it showing through all the time. It’s hard to tell where the human ends and the dragon begins, most days. She’s part of her offspring's flock and does her best to fit in. I'm not sure she's any good at it. From the way Fishbone picks at the fish she gives him and tries to give it to me when she isn't looking, she's not any better at burning human food than I am. 

We all went flying together after lunch, swooping around the island looking for places where the wind did funny tricks. We found a few pleasant thermals, and some clouds with holes all through them that you could fly into without touching the walls. We even managed to find a spot where the wind swept straight up the cliffs and you could hover without beating your wings, and it was so strange to just hang there in the air, not doing anything and with the world not moving beneath us. Then Fishbone had to ruin it by trying to walk out onto my wing the way his dam does, except he didn’t _tell me_ first so I could stiffen my wing for him. He wound up just plummeting straight down like my wing wasn’t even there, and I had to scramble and dive to catch him.

I love Fishbone with all my heart, but I have no idea how he survived long enough for me to meet him. He’d be dead in a day without me to look out for him.

It’s almost more than I can bear, sometimes, the burden of protecting him. He’s so fragile, and so small, and so fearless. He’s made my life so much more complicated, but also so much _better_.

We spent most of the day with Fishbone’s dam and Broad-Horn, playing and learning and laying in the sun while the humans burbled at each other. But alphas can’t take all day to themselves, even if they are learning important things. We had to get back and fix whatever had broken while we’d been away, and get some food that didn’t make Fishbone gag. And then I had to find some way to repay the spectacular mating he had given me that morning.

For a moment as we were getting ready, I considered asking Broad-Horn for advice. But no, that probably wasn’t a good idea. I’d asked him, once, if he and his human were mated. He had just stood there and scowled at me in total silence, and eventually I’d decided it was none of my business and found something else I needed to do. 

We said our goodbyes. Fishbone’s dam came up and embraced him and fussed with his head-fluff, which was okay because she’s family and she’s allowed to make sure her scent is on him. She gave us a bit of a funny look when I rubbed my head against him to make sure my own mating-scent was strong there, but then Fishbone was babbling nervously and scrambling onto my back and we were flying away. I supposed I'd have to figure it out later.

~~~

Afternoon was getting on as we flitted back over to the center of the colony, and by some miracle everything looked peaceful. We got a few calls of greeting from lounging dragons or bustling humans, and Fishbone stripped away the things he adds to my tail and flying-rig when we’re doing fancy flying. He locked up my tail as well, which meant he was planning on being busy and wanted to make sure I could get around. And, when I saw the little knot of humans clustered outside his day-nest, I could guess why.

This always happens. Fishbone takes a bit of a day to spend with me or with his dam or because he’s gotten sick and I have to keep him in bed, and all his flock bends over backwards to find the stupidest little problems that he has to look at _right away_ or they’ll get offended. I might think it was silly, if my dragons weren’t the same way. People like to know their leaders notice them, I suppose.

Still, I eyed the crowd with dismay. Even if all their problems were little and easily solved, Fishbone would be busy for ages. And we had been having such a good day together. He must have been thinking the same thing, because he answered my nuzzle with a caress along my chin that spoke of _regret-apology-love._

It was only then that we noticed Fishbone’s beta was in the crowd, though she didn’t seem part of it. She was moving from one human to the next, talking to them with clipped impatience. One by one she addressed them, inspected whatever trinket they had brought for Fishbone to look at, and sent them off with a scolding if she thought it wasn’t worth his attention. By the time we reached the day-nest there were only a few left, and Fishbone gladly engaged them, even more willing to help them now that he knew they actually needed it. 

I sat by while he worked, happy that he wouldn’t be tied down all afternoon. His beta was watching, too, looking pleased with herself. I snorted. She was supposed to be my rival, but, as long as she was making herself so useful, it was hard to dislike her the way I ought to. Still, that didn’t mean I had to like the look in her eyes as she stood to the side, watching as Fishbone wrapped up his business. Nor did I have to like the way she walked over to him, hips swaying in a way that I had a sinking suspicion her alpha would like.

Fishbone turned as he noticed her approaching, and when he saw the look in her eyes he went very still. His beta approached, speaking in a playful tone, until they were almost nose to nose. Before he could react she had snuck her head forward to steal a kiss. 

I stiffened in outrage and opened my mouth to protest, but Fishbone was already pulling back. It’s easy to tell when he’s embarrassed, because his face goes all red and he gets even worse at talking than he normally is. He must not have managed to say that he had already taken a mate and wasn’t supposed to be kissing anyone else, because she kept hold of him, looking worried. Murmuring a soft question, she reached up to caress gently along the leading edge of his head-fluff and I watched embarrassment give way to pleasure on his face. He leaned a little into the caress, then caught himself. His eyes darted from her face, to me, back to her face, and he yelped some kind of excuse, wriggled free of her embrace and scuttled off toward his day-nest. I came up to sit beside the beta and she absently reached up to pet my cheek.

As we watched Fishbone make himself scarce, I leaned into the female’s caress and enjoyed the feeling of her scratching among my frills. It was tempting to compare it to the caresses Fishbone gives me when he wants to mate, but if I were being honest it was the same sort of affection she had always shown me.

I eyed her sidelong as she squinted after Fishbone, muttering to herself. She raised her brow at me and babbled a question. Most likely she didn’t expect much of an answer, but she looked uneasy so I gave her a quick nuzzle under the chin. It was important to remember that, besides being a rival for Fishbone’s affections, she was a member of our flock and a valued beta. It was my job to keep her from being too broken up by her defeat.

It turns out she’s ticklish under the jawline. She made that high chittery human laugh and batted me playfully away. I looked at her with a pang. If things continued the way they were going, she would be losing her mate-apparent. I know Fishbone values her prowess in battle. Certainly she’s invaluable to him as a beta. She might likely have already done everything she needed to win Fishbone, and here I was swooping in at the last moment to steal her victory. And I didn’t envy her other prospects, if she insisted on a human male. 

After a moment she stopped scratching me, her jaw set in a way I had come to dread seeing on Fishbone. With a little huff of determination she sprang after Fishbone, and I had to blink and gather myself to follow.

Fishbone had barely begun to get set up for working in the day-rest. His special fireproof belly armour was half-fastened and dangling as I rounded the corner. The female had put herself between him and the door, hands on her hips as she made inquisitive noises at him. Poor Fishbone could only stammer and flail his paws, gesturing at his slabs full of tool-stones in what even I could see was a feeble attempt to distract her. It didn’t work; she sidled closer, trailing her paws up his chest.

I watched them with growing apprehension. I could see it, now that I was looking for it. She stared after Fishbone the same way I did: desire barely constrained, afraid of spooking him with the strength of her affection. And really, I couldn’t blame her. She was simply trying to win the best mate on the island. She obviously wasn’t going to get him, now that I was on the scene, but part of me admired her persistence.

I kept one eye on them as she teased and flirted, rolling the situation around in my head and pondering a few things I’d been avoiding thinking about. Most dragons assume that they’ll be bringing up hatchlings at some point, and I imagined humans were much the same. I’d thought taking my rider to mate meant that was impossible, but this female presented a solution. She was clearly angling to breed with him, and even I could see they were a good match. She was strong where he was clever, bold where he was meek, and if she was a little rough with him he didn’t seem to mind.

The bond that Fishbone and I were settling into wasn’t unheard of, among dragons. The heart wants what it wants, and sometimes that means you mated with a male, or a female of the wrong breed, or a bony, yammering human. Such a couple might accept going without hatchlings, or they might work together to woo a third dragon, one to help them get a clutch that they would raise on their own. It’s easier when the couple has a female. There’s never any shortage of young males around, ready to mount anything that holds still long enough and happy enough not to have a clutch to care for afterwards.

Fishbone bustled to the other side of his day-nest and she followed. I got up and stalked after them, still appraising. It would probably be all right, I thought, if she got a pup from him. More than one, if she was gracious about it. Then she could go away and we’d take care of the little ones. The more I thought about it the more appeal the idea had. The thought of rearing Fishbone’s young gave me a pleasant tingle in my craw.

For the time being, though, she was getting a little too close for my liking. She had mistaken his fleeing for shyness and was pouncing on it. Soon he was trapped in a corner and leaning backwards over a wooden shelf to try to get away from her and she was _right there_ , face inches from his. She ran her hands along the length of his chest in what I could now recognize as a lover’s caress, and she was clearly enjoying the way it made him squeak and squirm. Then she gripped him by the loose skins of his chest and pulled him in for a kiss.

At first, Fishbone seemed startled. Then he gave that little sound of pleasure and relief that only I’m supposed to be able to get from him and, to my horror, began to kiss her back, right there in front of me! They whimpered together and I realised she must be better at it than me. She’d had practice, after all, and her mouth was the right size.

I’d been stalking forward, glowering as their scents began to sharpen with arousal. His hands were roaming over her, burrowing under her skins to feel the naked hide of her flanks and make her moan into his mouth. His extra belly-armor had already fallen to the floor, and at the rate they were going the rest of his skins would be following shortly. 

Then he reached up to grip her by the upper thigh and pull their crotches together with a whimper of need, and that was quite enough of _that._ With a huff, I barged into the little cave with them, knocking over all sorts of the noisy things Fishbone keeps stacked in there. The commotion startled the humans into separating, which was good because I would have hated to hurt them when I dragged them apart. As it was, Fishbone got a few heartbeats to look guilty before I snatched him up, ignoring his squawking as I pressed him to my chest.

With my prize secured, I glowered and hissed at the usurper and even showed her my teeth a little. Forget admiring her persistence. I hadn’t planned on being unkind in my victory, but really, she should have known better. 

Her eyes were very wide, and she was pressed to the back wall of the cave. I think, for the first time in a long time, I had scared her. Then her eyes dropped to Fishbone, trying to wriggle out of my paws and stammering excuses. Then back up to me, then back to him again. Her jaw dropped open and I think she was about to say something, but I wasn’t going to stick around to hear it. I spun around and tromped out of the day-nest on my hind legs, Fishbone still struggling in my arms. I dropped him outside so I could get back on all fours and pick him up by the skins with my teeth.

We got some funny looks from the humans as I trotted up the path, carrying Fishbone like a hatchling by his scruff. He wriggled more and more fiercely and eventually I had to drop him. Scrabbling to his feet, he complained at me as he brushed the dirt off himself. I guess I’d be upset, too, if someone embarrassed me in front of my flock like that, but I didn’t care. I prodded him against the side of a man-roost and grumbled a reproach, while he flailed his arms at me and pulled at his head fluff and babbled in exasperation. He rounded on me as though this were _my_ fault, so I just pinned him to the wall with a forepaw and let him vent his frustration on my leg until he calmed down. When he had stopped trying to be angry and had settled for sulking, I leaned in and nosed him and he laid his brow against mine. He made sure no one was looking —he’s still so shy— and gave me a quick kiss, murmuring an apology. 

Once he’d calmed down a little, I managed to convince him we should go flying. He resisted, but there was no reason not to: for all his beta’s meddling, she had at least managed to clear up her alpha’s evening. And yes, we had already been flying together for most of the day, but that was for learning so it didn’t count. I wanted to fly for fun.

But as he was getting ready, I realised my thoughts were still with the female, full of anger and, I eventually realised, remorse. She didn’t deserve to be snarled at, not really. She didn’t know any better, any more than Fishbone had known I was trying to court him at first.

With an unpleasant lurch, I remembered the night I met this female, and the way her hostility had melted away into the air after Fishbone made me take her flying. The way she’d clung to him, before and after. Fresh guilt gnawed at me as we spiraled up into the late-day sunlight. Had I given her the idea to pursue him in the first place?

~~~

Fishbone didn’t want to fly for very long. We had barely circled the island before he began to fidget, and not long after he started tugging at my flying-things and making the noises that mean he wants to land. I grumbled, but tilted air out of my wings and began my descent towards home. It wasn’t until we were on the ground and I could smell properly that I realised why he’d been so squirmy. His beta’s aborted affections had left Fishbone frisky, it seemed.

Gripping me by the base of my frills, he dragged me into the night-nest, even getting behind me and pushing on my rump when I didn’t go fast enough for him. He barred the entrance behind us and began shedding his outer skins, his scent already spiking. I expected him to lead me up to our bed, but evidently that was too far for him. He gave the dark space at the back of the cave a look, then just plopped down on one of the wooden storage craws and gestured me closer. I followed dutifully, laughing at his eagerness and at the way he caressing the bulge in his leg-skins even as he struggled to get them off over his fake foot. Were humans like this all the time, to make up for not having a proper mating season? I wondered, not for the first time, what I had gotten myself into.

The last of Fishbone’s skins had hit the floor as I’d been thinking about it. He sat on the wooden thing and beckoned to me, using all his names for me in rapid succession. His little member, bobbing between his legs and demanding attention, must have been making him impatient. I sauntered over to the bed, moving especially slowly to make him even more frustrated. I made a show of licking my lips and opening my mouth and getting a good long whiff of his scent... then lunged and grabbed his good foot in my mouth and hauled him onto the floor. 

With a squawk of surprise and alarm, he landed hard on his back. He lay there, wheezing and groaning, as I waddled over and dropped my head onto his chest to pin him in place. I could feel his erection pressing against the base of my throat. I ignored him when he pawed at me and told me to move, gripping my claws around his knees and giving him no choice but to just lie there.

I didn’t let him up until he’d been down there long enough to get bored, and for his member to lose its stiffness. When it was fully gone I sat up and allowed Fishbone to do the same, leaving him looking awkward and embarrassed, sitting on the floor with no skins on and his bits hanging out.

He looked so lost and uncomfortable that I had to step forward. Resting one paw on his knee, I told him he was beautiful and gave him a gentle kiss. I must have pressed a little harder than I’d meant to, because before long he was leaning back onto the floor and I was moving to straddle him, brushing lips and tongue across his. I’m beginning to really enjoy kissing like a human. 

I brought a paw up and let the back of it brush along reawakening maleness, making it surge against my scales. I did it again, nice and slow, to make him whimper, to make my point as clear as I could: When he and I made love, it would be because _I_ had gotten him worked up, not anyone else.

Still, he had been patient, and it wasn’t really his fault. I supposed I hadn’t been all that clear about my intentions with him, and if he thought we were just having some fun he wouldn’t know he was supposed to be turning away other suitors.

So I decided to be merciful, for now, and extended my tongue to flick at his member a few times. He yelped in pleasure, spreading his legs wide for me. I tasted him from root to tip, letting my strokes grow along with his length until I was beginning at the base of his shaft and ending by pressing his straining tip into the patch of coarse fluff on his belly. By this point he was moaning nicely, arching his hips up into my attentions. I made my licks long and slow and wet and he trembled all over, and I got to experience his taste changing as his pleasure began to mount. I had licked him before, of course. It was one of my favourite ways to make Fishbone wriggle. But he had inspired me, as he always did, and tonight I wanted to try something special. I kept the same pace for a little while, repeating over and over until he was used to it and it wasn't making him quite so crazy, then opened my mouth and took him inside.

His back arched and he yelped, and I smiled as I thought of what it must feel like. Fishbone is so much littler than me that I didn’t have to work at all to take his entire length past my lips. In fact, he barely reached far enough to touch my tongue if I didn’t extend it. With my teeth hidden, I was free to suckle and gum experimentally at him and listen to him gasp and babble. I pressed the fork of my tongue against the base of him and slurped I had to press a forepaw to his belly to keep him from wriggling clear off the floor.

After a while I realized I could basically do no wrong. He liked it when I closed my lips around him and nursed. He liked it when I pressed him between my tongue and the roof of my mouth and bobbed my head. The only time he complained was when I took my mouth off him for too long and let the cold air at him, so I made sure to always keep him cradled by my lips or tongue.

Fishbone was wriggling and mewling so much I didn’t get much warning when he reached his peak. He gripped the sides of my head and gave a squeak as his member began to buck and spill his seed across my tongue. I took him as deep as I could so I didn’t miss any, caressing my tongue up along his length to draw out his pleasure. By the time it was over, Fishbone had gone limp and dreamy, blinking up at the ceiling and making all kinds of little noises of satisfaction. I think I'd done a good job, but I wasn’t done yet.

The run-in with the female had spurred me. I decided then and there that if she felt she had a chance —and if Fishbone was too meek to stop her— then clearly it was time to move forward again. Moving slowly to keep from startling him, I slowly slipped my tongue away from his member —already stiffening again— and kissed and licked at his bits. Then I nosed under them and pressed my tongue very deliberately against his rump. 

He jumped and squawked, but then he relaxed a bit, and even though he was trembling, he didn’t make any move to get away. I think he’d been expecting this.

I pressed my tongue against his entrance, rumbling the depths of my love and a promise of pleasure to come. He squirmed a bit at first, but after a few licks he was panting, his little malehood straining-hard and slapping his belly, even as he trembled. To my delight he lifted his hips a bit, exposing himself further, and I obliged him with longer, harder strokes of my tongue. I went as far as to try and wriggle my tongue a little ways into him, and the _sound_ it got from him was enough to burn away the rest of my patience. With a half-suppressed growl of anticipation, I withdrew and began making my way up his body. 

He watched me the whole time, wide-eyed, silent and panting. I gave his member a flick of my tongue as I passed, to watch him squirm and to distract him from the apprehension I could see around the edges of his eyes. I stood above Fishbone as I pondered exactly how I was going to do this. My first instinct was to get his rump in the air so I could claim him like a dragon, hard and fast and loud. But no that wouldn't do. Fishbone was only human, and much too fragile for that. At least the first time.

This was one area where courting Fishbone like a human had failed me, because I had never been able to figure out how they mated. Not for lack of trying, of course; I had singled out some mated human couples and tried following them around so I could spy on them, but they just looked at me funny until I got bored and left. I suppose they hadn't been in the mood. Near as I could tell, mating must happen in a human's nest at night, since that's the only time they take off their skins. 

I was taken out of my thoughts by movement beneath me. Fishbone had sensed my hesitation and was taking matters into his own paws, scooting out from beneath me to open one of the wooden craws he uses to keep all his little human things. He fetched a little round hollow thing and hurried back to the shelter of my body, and I saw it was filled with something slick and shiny inside that made my nose tingle when the smell hit me. Scooping some out with his nimbly human claws, Fishbone rubbed them experimentally together. He gave me a look that spoke of afternoons spent falling side by side, totally helpless and happy together. With his slick paw, he gripped my member.

It was electric. I moaned, arching my hips against his touch as he caressed my cock, supplementing my natural slickness with whatever miracle concoction he'd found for us. His little digits slid along my length as easy as ice, if ice was warm and teasing and _squeezed_ when you were least expecting it. It would be easier to claim him now, I realized. He was trying to help.

As he fondled my tip he looked back up at me, eyes wide and uncertain. He babbled something, some mix of impatience and worry, buried under a joke he must have known I wouldn't understand. I was struck again by how little he was, how much he trusted me. Humbled, I reached down to caress his naked flank. However I claimed him, I would have to be certain not to betray that trust, no matter what.

My mind made up, I hooked a paw under his belly and hauled him up against my chest while I flopped down onto my side. I cradled him against me, his back against my chest. My forelegs were occupied in holding him steady, but he was in just the right position for me to kiss and slurp at the back of his neck, and his wriggling kept us both distracted while I got myself lined up properly. At the first touch of my member to his rump he got still and quiet again, tensing in my arms. I nuzzled and crooned at him as I wiggled my hips to get my tip against his entrance, telling him that I loved him and that I knew he was little and that I had to be careful. It was only when he had relaxed a bit and mumbled a bit of encouragement that I dared to press forward.

His passage opened easily for me, which was surprising. The tip of my shaft, the narrowest part, sank into Fishbone like it was meant to be there and the feeling of him surrounding me made my head spin. I clutched him to me as he mewled, letting him slip down onto the wider parts. Flesh slipped along extra-slick flesh as his muscles fluttered around my shaft, and nothing in all the world had ever felt so wonderful. Pressing my nose to Fishbone’s shoulder, I babbled _love-pleasure-joy_ and began to roll my hips against him, matching the rhythm to my laboured breathing as I worked myself deeper with slow, shallow thrusts.

For his part, Fishbone was having the time of his life. At first he had tensed and shuddered every time I slipped a little deeper inside him, but once I had begun to thrust it was like night and day. I think I might have been pressing against some tender spot inside him, because every time I sank into him _just so_ he yelped and pressed back hard against me, to the point I had to back off my own thrusting to keep him from taking too much of me in too quickly. I grunted annoyance into his head-fluff. It was already taking all the restraint I had not to give into my body’s urgings for faster, deeper, _more_. I didn’t need him making it worse. Even in _mating_ he was determined to hurt himself.

As good as it felt to finally be mating properly, before long we began to notice a problem with our arrangement. Fishbone’s member was poking out from his belly and I wanted to touch and lick it some more, but if I moved my arms I would drop him. He seemed to be having a similar dilemma, holding on to my forelegs too tightly to give himself the attention he was begging for. Still, he was leaking all over the place, so it was safe to say he was enjoying himself. I settled for caressing along his smooth, pale thigh as, slowly but surely, I deepened my thrusts.

I clutched him tight, drinking in his scent, reveling in the presence of my mate. It may not have been the hard, joyous mating a dragon would have expected, but it was still the most wonderful thing I’d ever felt because it was Fishbone. I loved him and he loved me and we were finally showing each other properly. I pressed into his fluttering passage and he pressed back with a moan, chest arching against my paws. He lifted his legs to give me easier access and I took advantage, pressing deeper, pulling him closer, nearly all of my length buried inside my little love—

A sudden clamour at the entrance sent ice up both our spines, a pounding on the wooden flap that meant a human was asking to come in. At the same time a muffled human voice rang out and I hissed in displeasure. It was Fishbone’s beta _again!_ Hadn’t she interfered enough for one day?

I had my back to the entrance, but I could twist enough to snarl over my shoulder at the closed flap . Fishbone, pinned against my belly and impaled on my pride, could only wriggle and yelp a reply to his beta. He pushed against my arms in an attempt to scramble away, but I held firm. We were in the middle of something important, and he didn’t get to panic and run off just because something had spooked him. 

He would just have to make the female go away, if he didn’t want her seeing us. Personally, I hoped he wouldn’t. Maybe seeing me spill my seed into her alpha would be enough to get the point across, since otherwise she couldn’t seem to take a hint.

She called something again through the wooden barrier and I heard the clatter of someone trying to open it. Immediately, Fishbone jerked up and twisted, trying to yelp at her. I obliged him by rolling a little more onto my back, since it didn’t look very comfortable for him. From there he was at least able to talk in the right direction, though he looked silly, splayed on my belly with his member sticking straight up. 

The rattling had stopped, which meant the beta wasn’t trying to get in any more. Instead she called a question. Fishbone immediately piped an answer, but his voice had gone all squeaky and he was tripping over the sounds, so she must have known he was hiding something. Still, when he had given a bit of a cough and repeated the last bit in a slightly more commanding tone, I heard her murmur obedience and tromp off down the path.

Then I made a mistake. Eager to get started again and with a paw freed up by the shift in positions, I reached down to caress up the length of Fishbone’s erection. I caught him by surprise, though, and after getting so far into the mating with no attention he must have been sensitive. At the first touch on his tender flesh he arched high and yowled, and even though he slapped a paw over his mouth right away to silence himself, the damage was done. 

We waited, frozen, ears straining, aching members forgotten. There was a scuffling sound outside and the pounding was back as the beta called a concerned question though the wood, and I bit back a groan of despair. But Fishbone was already babbling frantically at her, and even he seemed a little exasperated at this point.

When she had finally gone away for good, Fishbone laid down hard against my scales and gave one of his big, puffy, unhappy breaths. I tried again to caress my paw down his body, starting with his chest and making my way toward his malehood slowly this time. I thought at first he wouldn’t be up for it: he wriggled against my touch as though he wanted to call the whole thing off. But I held him tightly and caressed him, and slowly he began to relax again. I bent to caress my cheek along his scalp and told him I loved him, that I wanted him, that I needed him.

He likes that, when I get in close and rumble my lust right into his ear. I rolled my hips up and my member, which had softened a bit in all the excitement, stiffened anew and sunk a little bit back into him and he _moaned_ for me.

As nice as it felt, I couldn’t thrust properly with the way he was floundering on my back. Lucky for me, Fishbone doesn’t weigh anything, so I could just grab him under the forelegs and lift him up to start moving him down onto me, instead of the other way around. Any objections he might have had vanished when my shaft started pressing into that special spot inside him again, and all he could do was moan at the ceiling and spread his legs.

I made slow, deliberate, wonderful love to Fishbone like that. I pressed him down as far as he could take, gentle but firm, again and again. My wings came up to enfold us, shutting out the rest of the world as I crooned my love and devotion. I felt skin against the tender scales of my sheath and shuddered with pleasure. He had managed to take all of me, after all.

He had felt it too, and he arched and hissed as I dared to press a little more firmly against him. He began mewling and whimpering, squirming against my grasp. At first I thought he was uncomfortable, but when I peeked over his chest I saw that with my grip under his forelegs I was accidentally keeping him from touching himself again, and his member was throbbing and neglected. I wasn’t about to let him go, because that would have meant stopping, but I still felt bad so I lowered my wing to caress him with the weight of the trailing edge. Then I did it again and a third time, and that's all it took. My little lover bucked and wriggled against me, insides churning along my member. He mewled, helpless with pleasure as his seed spattered the insides of my wing and slid down to make a mess of his belly-fur. My name breathed from his lips as he rode out his climax, voice saturated with need and pleasure.

The sound of it made my blood boil, and I snarled in pleasure against the sudden tightness around me. Fishbone had been seen to, which meant now I could worry about myself. The slight shift of weight as I adjusted my grip on him was the only warning my lover received before I'd lifted him to press him onto my shaft again, continuing our rutting even before his climax had left him. He yelped and squawked as I pressed that special spot again and again, keeping him from the fuzzy after-mating as I sought my own satisfaction.

Luckily for both of us, it didn't take long. I had already been close —How could I not be?— and the scent of Fishbone's climax burning in my nostrils, the knowledge that it had been _me_ who'd done that to him, proved enough to tip me over. With an inarticulate keen of pleasure I shoved Fishbone down and my own hips up, pressing as deep as I could as I let myself go.

My entire world narrowed to Fishbone as my climax crashed over me, focusing with desperate urgency on the smooth skin against my scales, the cries of a human in pleasure, the warm, sweet scent of my lover— my _mate!_ I throbbed and bucked inside him, pouring my seed deep in his belly like a promise. I crushed him to me with legs and wings, emptying all that I had into him until there was nothing left but pleasure and love.

I held him like that long after the torrent of my love had dwindled down to a pulsing trickle. I wouldn't let him try to get up until I had given every drop. Not that Fishbone seemed eager to go anywhere. He sprawled, breathing hard, paws caressing lazy circles along my legs and the membranes of my wings and his own belly, as though he could feel me inside him that way. I caressed a paw along his shoulder and he gave a happy, sleepy croon.

Separating, when the time came, proved tricky. I thought I'd simply pluck Fishbone off me, but when I tried it he barked and swatted at me until I stopped. I was confused; it had gone in easily enough. My little mate wriggled and squirmed, moving slow and careful and easing himself off the broad base of me. Eventually he passed some threshold and he slipped off me all at once, to a pair of relieved, satisfied groans and a gush of sticky slickness across my belly and tailbase.

He turned to kneel on my chest, swaying with happy exhaustion and with the uneven footing. I gathered him to me to steady him, nuzzling fiercely under his chin and against his chest. I told him how happy I was, and that I hoped he felt the same. I think he did. We were mates now, finally. Not just friends. Not just rider and dragon, not the strange half-mated lovers we had been. He was mine, and I was his, and we both knew it. 

Fishbone tilted his head to look at one of the covered openings to the outside, studying the golden evening light filtering into the nest. He heaved a sigh and I understood: the day wasn't over yet, and as much as we both wanted it we had a while to go before we could sleep. He made a weary little noise and twisted to slide down to the floor, only to collapse immediately as his legs gave out from under him. 

Thinking fast, I shot out my paw and caught him under the belly, absorbing most of the fall and lifting him back onto his feet. I rolled over to stand myself, keeping him steady until I was sure he would be all right on his own, and he caressed under my chin in gratitude and tried to lie that he was fine. When I let him try again he wobbled, but stayed up. At first his gait was stiff and lopsided and he cringed with each step, but Fishbone is a little tougher than he looks. By the time he had hobbled around the lower chamber and cleaned off and found all his skins he was moving much more naturally. I took the opportunity to clean off with my tongue like a proper person, though I made sure I was turned so that Fishbone would get a good view if he happened to look over. 

He met me at the entrance when he was ready, still grinning and sleepy-eyed, touching me all over my head and neck and leaning up to kiss me gently as he fumbled with the clasp. I swirled around to his other side as it opened, letting my wing trail across his back and legs, never breaking contact. I was there at his side, I was telling him, as I always had been and always would be. We had made a promise, now.

As we went off together to care for our flock, I checked to make sure no one was watching and nipped him on the rump again. It was a gesture of affection and gratitude. It was a promise of more matings to come.

It was fun to watch him jump!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies on the delay on this one, folks! My creative energies got directed elsewhere, and then needed replenishing. With luck I'll have Chapter 3 out in a more timely fashion! Hope you enjoyed!


	3. Chapter 3

 

 

Chapter 3

 

Nothing improves breakfast like a little entertainment.

I try to be the best alpha I can be, to always be on the lookout for ways I can keep my flock happy. That said, there are certain things I just can’t do. The old alpha, the good one, would swim out and catch great mouthfuls of fish and feed everyone all at once so no one had to hunt for themselves. I’m too little for that. I could fish all day and not feed half the flock.

Luckily, I have Fishbone. Between us, we’re the best alpha ever.

On Fishbone’s orders, some nice humans go out before dawn each morning and fetch fish so we don’t have to hunt as much during the day. I told the swimming dragons to help, so there’s always plenty to go around. Then they haul them up the hill and pour them into a big round dish made of wood and steel, right in the middle of the colony.

The food bowl is always bedlam in the mornings. The smart thing would be to wait until after the rush, but no one wants to risk there not being any left, so they pile on and push and squabble. On a bad day I can have to break up fights on an empty stomach.

Which is why this is one time I’m happy to let others give precedence to me. Being alpha is a lot of work, and I can’t do a very good job without food in my belly. The flock knows that the sooner I eat, the sooner they can start pestering me. On this day, I scooped up a nice big mouthful and hopped up the the crest of a nearby hill so I could take my time eating it. Fishbone joined me a moment later, still blinking away sleep and gnawing on a bit of human food, and together we took a moment to survey our domain.

I kept a sidelong eye on him as he watched the colony come awake. He seemed happy. For the moment, at least. Ever since we had mated, Fishbone had been acting a little odd. Prone to fits of nervousness and melancholy, especially when his yellow-headed beta was around. I suspected he hadn’t broken their courtship off properly, which was stupid of him and it meant it was his own fault he was upset. Still, even if he did nothing, she would get the message eventually. Everything would be all right.

Movement caught my attention, moving against the general flow of the crowd. I rolled my eyes. It was a particular pair of flamehides, showing off again. They had been courting for half a moon, and they had gone out of their way to make sure everyone knew it. He had nearly wrecked a human nest by dragging a flowering tree through the colony as a gift for her. She had kept the whole island awake singing him a love song that lasted halfway till dawn. It had been unbearable, and I wished they would just get it over with already.

Little did I know, I was about to get my wish. No sooner were the pair of them free from the worst of the crowd than the female slowed her pace, hips swaying as she fluttered her eyes back at her paramour. His eyes flashed and he surged forward, ducking her flicking tail. I barely had time to register that his member was out before he was on top of her, crowing triumph to the daybreak. Humans and dragons scattered from the display as the male sank into his new mate, taking her hard and fast, right there in the middle of the colony among all his feeding flockmates.

We watched the flamehides couple from a safe distance, a tangle of flamboyant wings and lashing claws. I gave Fishbone a sniff and stifled a chuckle at the change in his scent. I wondered which he watching more closely, the male or the female. The flamehides noticed their alphas were watching and made even more of a spectacle of themselves, throwing their hips together with wild abandon, letting fire cover their bodies in waves of rippling pleasure. The arousal colouring Fishbone’s scent sharpened and I let one wing wrap lazily around his waist.

He squirmed against me as we watched the show. He made a few noises as though he might pull away and leave, but didn’t move. Then the male flamehide shuddered and bore down hard on his lover, roaring his pleasure as he made her his own. Long, wicked teeth came down on her shoulder with savage restraint, piercing the scales just enough to leave a mark without doing serious harm.

Fishbone sucked in a breath and tensed against me, and I was struck with curiosity. The mating bite had been a part of courtship I’d assumed I would have to skip, what with my lover being so fragile. But he was watching the scene with rapt attention, leaning a little harder against me, stubby claws curling against my scales. I decided to try something.

Careful not to jostle him out of his reverie, I pulled him closer with a wing. Making sure he was still watching the coupling dragons, I leaned in and, teeth withdrawn, gave him a nip at the hollow of his neck and shoulder.

The response was immediate. Fishbone went rigid against me with a shudder and a gasp. He tried to twist to look at me but, since I didn’t let go, the best he could do was look me in one eye with mixed pleasure and embarrassment. I only grinned at him and nipped a little harder, letting my teeth pinch just a little and reveling in the way it made his knees buckle.

We didn’t get to see the rest of the show. Fishbone melted against me and I could feel his hardness through the coverings on his legs. With very little prodding, I got him to clamber up onto my back so we could fly away. He guided us toward the forest and I grinned in anticipation. If he was looking for a particularly private place to mate, it meant he wanted to be _loud._

When our cove came into sight, I felt a frisson of glee. It had been a terrible place once, full of loneliness and hunger and despair. But then Fishbone had come to me and made me whole again, and the cove had become special, the safest place on the island. Nothing could or would disturb us here, and if it was a little cold and damp for Fishbone it didn’t matter. I planned on keeping him warm.

He was barely off my back before I was on him, nosing my way between his shielding arms to give him a good sound kissing. I reveled in his little sounds of pleasure as he played his tiny tongue against mine, driving me wild with the caress of his paws along my jawline. He broke off after a moment, red-faced and panting, to stumble backward toward the rocks against the wall, fumbling with all the silly human things he straps to himself, eyes locked on mine.

I pursued him lazily, taking a sweeping back-and-forth path to let him get a good sidelong look at my member, already out and straining at the thought of taking him. The closest rocks were smooth and small, the perfect height for him to bend over.

Walking backwards, eyes on me, Fishbone began shedding his skins. By the time his chest was bare I had caught him, trailing my nose up his breastbone to nuzzle under his jaw. When he was struggling to free his legs, I hooked my paw into the soft stuff and helped him pull free. I told him he was beautiful, that I loved him, that he made me hard. He understood enough to make him blush. But instead of turning around like he was supposed to, he pressed against me and thumped a paw gently on the side of my neck.

Though I didn’t understand, I obliged him and rolled on my back, watching the little human scramble up to straddle my tail. Curious, I rumbled out a question, only to get an answer in the form of a stubby human claw brushing against my tailvent! With a yelp of protest, I made to buck Fishbone off, but the little weasel was ahead of me. The digits of his other paw slipped themselves around the base of my member and _squeezed_ and I was too helpless with pleasure to tell him to stop or to keep him from pressing one claw just a little bit into me. It felt... strange . Full, and yet not full enough. It didn’t hurt. I remembered worrying I’d hurt Fishbone when I first claimed him, and how he’d let me do it anyway.

He was probably reminding me of that fact as he jabbered at me now, rolling his head side to side and grinning impishly. He crooned with the low, slow voice he uses when he’s making fun of me, no doubt questioning my sense of fair play or worse, implying I was scared of that little nub of his!

I gave him a quick grumble and made a show of lying back and letting my hind legs splay wide, giving him access to anything he wanted. He rewarded me by caressing that wonderful, nimble little paw up and down my shaft a few times, keeping me relaxed as he worked a second digit into me. I did my best to let him work, knowing what was coming. It felt strange to have part of him inside me, gently easing me open, but after a moment I decided it felt nice. A moment after that, I decided it felt more than nice.

It was only fair, I supposed. Fishbone was a male too, and we were mates, so of course he would want his turn. It helped that he was was learning fast, the pleasure from his claws jumping straight up through my member and making me spatter my own stomach in slick juices. As he drew a sound from me that was half impatience and half desperation, I reasoned it was the generous thing to let him keep going. For his sake.

A strange tension wormed into my belly as Fishbone removed his fingers and slipped a little higher on my tail to line himself up. My breath caught. I felt a pressure against my entrance, building and building and then… Fishbone withdrew with a thoughtful hum. Stars help me, but I actually whimpered at the delay.

Soft human flesh caressed my spire and sheath, coaxing slickness from my tip and a whine from my belly. Fishbone scooped up some of my slickness and slathered it across his member, cooing with pleasure at the contact. He pressed forward again, and this time there was no resistance at all. He sank inside me with no effort, so quickly we both yelped!

Shuddering against the sudden intrusion, I snarled through clenched teeth to be more _careful!_ He chattered contrition and leaned forward to give my member a little lick, which went a long way toward an apology.

He began to move, slick flesh sliding along my insides, and I purred. I leaned back and let him do all the work for once, arching myself back into his touch and letting bliss ripple up my spine. Legs spread, willing him deeper, I gave myself to my mate as he picked up speed.

My tailfin slapped hard at the ground, the flexing making Fishbone quiver as he mated me. The ground was cool against the side of my head as my spine arched. I had been missing out, I realised, only ever being on top. Fishbone took such good care of me everywhere else, of course he would make me love having him under my tail.

He pressed hard into me, getting as deep as he could inside, as impatient for more of me as I was for more of him. My straining shaft throbbed in his embrace, jumping against his digits. My hindlegs were flailing uselessly, so I snagged Fishbone with them, pulling him against me so he couldn't get away. Not that it looked like he wanted to. He was bucking and straining into me, his knees gripping my tailbase for support as he took me as hard as he could. I wriggled for him, crooning in ecstasy, doing what I could to help him as my member soaked us both with slick. He drove me onward, onward, winding every muscle in me with the tension of pleasure, spiraling towards—

He stopped suddenly, shuddering, doubling up on himself, groaning into my belly scales as his shaft twitched inside me. I wailed in despair as I felt my climax slipping away, trying in vain to press him deeper into me. I had been so _close!_

Fishbone was no help. He sprawled on my belly as his pleasure ebbed, little paws caressing my scales as though in a dream as he babbled to himself. Eventually, though, he recovered enough to take pity on me, twisting his head to look up at me as he began to move again. He was smiling, a rare predatory grin. I remembered feeling that way the first night I’d claimed him. I was his, and I loved it, and he knew it.

His member, softening but extra slick now, egged me on with a few short, expert strokes before he pressed himself just right against some special spot inside me and I mewled. That made him murmur in triumph as he went in for the kill. He trailed blunt little claws along the underside of my shaft and I broke, spine arching, innards clenching on him as I shot my seed for my little mate. Not that he was grateful. Even through the long, delightful ecstasy of my climax, I could hear him sputtering and complaining,

I felt him slip out of me and wriggled on the mossy ground and I struggled to regain my senses. By the time I got my feet back under me, Fishbone was busy rinsing himself in the pond, ankle-deep in the chill water. He’s always so finicky about cleaning himself after we mate. I suppose I can understand not wanting to be sticky, but it gets rid of most of my scent as well. I try not to let it bother me.

FIshbone hadn’t heard me approach, so I flicked out my tail to knock his legs from under him and send him sprawling on the sandy shore. I lay beside him and rubbed my head against his chest, enduring his halfhearted protests and sneaking an occasional lick at his ticklish spots. Nuzzling under his jaw in play-submission, I told him how wonderfully he pretended to be dominant, and didn’t resist when he drew me up for a long, sweet kiss.

We stayed like that for as long as we could, but we both had a colony to run and the sun was already creeping down into the cove. He patted my nose and I helped him to his feet, and we started getting ready to face the day properly.

 

~~~

 

The next day, the situation with Fishbone’s yellow-headed beta took a very strange turn.

Actually, I suppose I should use her name. I had finally decided that you can’t very well have a rivalry with someone if you don’t know what to call them, so I’d gone and asked the dragon who knew her best. Quillflower had been suspicious at first, and hadn’t been willing to tell me unless I gave her Fishbone’s name in return. I understood her reluctance, afterward. It was almost like sharing him.

It turns out Fishbone’s beta is named Glimmer, for the gold in her head-fluff and the silver on the great big tooth she carries around. I snorted when I heard it. Leave it to a tail-flicker to take the fiercest warrior the humans have and name her after a trick of the light. Quillflower replied that _Fishbone_ was a stupid name for an alpha, and I wound up leaving in a huff.

It had been one of those days, right from the beginning. Normally everyone knows to leave Fishbone and I alone for our morning flights, but today we had been interrupted by Stoneskull and her fat lump of a human, who barked at Fishbone until he gave in and had me follow them back to the nest. I assume it was important. It better have been.

Fishbone locked up my tailfin so I could get around by myself. He gave me a rub on the head and an apology as he let his subordinates drag him off. Then I’d barely turned around before a pair of dragons were bickering over the fish pile and I had to go pull them apart.

The day went on like that, one crisis after another. By the time I laid eyes on Fishbone again, the day’s heat was fading as I lay on a cliff and watched the sun going down. The peculiar thump-click of his mismatched footsteps announced him long before he got to me, but I could barely muster the energy to lift a wing so he could slump himself against my flank. He smelled like sweat and soot. Around his wrist were a few of those white strips humans use to cover wounds, but when I nosed it he only patted me and leaned more of his weight on my shoulder.

Glimmer found us like that, half-dead from exhaustion, trying to muster the energy to feed our growling bellies. She tromped up with some bundles under her arm and said something to Fishbone, poking him in the leg with her foot. When he only grunted in reply, she dropped one of her bundles on his belly and made him sit up with a little squawk. But he breathed a happy little sound when he unfolded the parcel to show it was full of the strange half-burnt meat and fruit that humans like to eat. She had brought him supper.

I grumbled. It was an affectionate gesture, and I wished I’d thought of it. Before I could get too annoyed with her, however, Glimmer skirted around Fishbone’s splayed legs to stand in front of me and worked open the second parcel.

The smell hit me before I saw it: a massive, fatty tuna, still cold and smelling of seawater. She held it out for me and I snapped it up and crunched it. Ecstasy.

Rivalry forgotten in the rush of satisfaction, I crooned gratitude and nuzzled her. She laughed a human laugh and plopped herself down between Fishbone and I. Any other time I might have seen it as a challenge, but the taste of the tuna was still on my lips, so I was feeling magnanimous. Then she beckoned me closer so she could rub my head, which took up all my attention while she spoke with Fishbone about human things.

Sadly, nothing lasts forever. The sun was just beginning to kiss the horizon when a clamour went up from the colony, a plume of smoke and yowls of surprise and irritation from both human and dragon. Fishbone and I gave a combined sigh of irritation, and he began to lever himself to his feet. So much for our restful evening.

But then Glimmer grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him back down onto my tail, rising in his place. Fishbone made a half-hearted protest, but she silenced him with an impatient flick of her paw. She tilted her head to the side, toward the sunset, and gestured toward the clouds. Then her eyes moved to mine and lingered, the human female looking solemn. For a long moment she held my gaze as my mate gathered his things.

THe spell was broken as Fishbone yelped something grateful to her and clambered up onto my back, making the special sounds he saves for _fun_ and _flying_. I obliged him with a sharp downbeat of my wings that had us off the ground and over the cliff at breakneck speed, as though Glimmer might change her mind and call us back. It was only once we were well clear of the island that I slowed, allowing Fishbone to relax a little and ease into the gentle rhythms of flight.

With the wind whistling between my frills, I thought back to Glimmer and the gifts she’d given us. They hadn’t been much, on the surface. A bit of food for both of us, tasty but not special. A moment’s companionship. The easing of Fishbone’s burdens so we could go flying. They were simple things, the sorts of things any friend might do. But in that moment they had been exactly what we needed. And then there was that odd, long look. And there had been something… odd about the way she’d presented me with the fish. Something familiar.

She was showing us how well she understood us. How well she could fit with us.

It was a startling realization. She wanted to court us! Both of us!

That was what she had meant by that lingering look. She’d been giving me a present, and making sure I accepted it. The implications were staggering. I had assumed, quite reasonably, that by claiming Fishbone I had put the issue to bed, and that it would only be a matter of time before Glimmer got the message and gave up. Clearly, I had underestimated her tenacity.

I let myself drift as I pondered. It wasn’t _wrong,_ exactly. Just… different. My thoughts wandered as I mulled the idea over. I had always imagined myself the strong, confident type, the kind of dragon who finds a more passive mate to pursue. I had never imagined I’d be the one getting approached. At the same time, it wasn’t hard to see the idea had appeal. It would make things a lot less awkward between the three of us, at the very least.

I had to be careful, too, that I hadn’t just gotten the signals wrong, and this was some human behaviour that merely looked like courtship. I would have to make sure.

Banking to carve one wingtip into the side of a passing cloud, I struggled to think of courtship from the other side. Glimmer was trying to pursue Fishbone and I, except we both already knew Fishbone was interested in her, so really she was just courting me. So, assuming I was game, the next step would be to return the gesture. I had to find some gift to give her in return. Nothing too extravagant, not at first anyway. It wouldn’t do to scare her.

 

~~~

 

The next day, I followed Glimmer as she went out hunting on a nearby island with some of our flockmates, staying well behind them and out of sight so Quillflower wouldn’t see me and alert her. The woods on the islands were too thick for flying, so the humans let the dragons stay on some lovely warm rocks while they fanned out into the woods in search of prey. I avoided landing, coasting on a thermal high above the island, sweeping in lazy circles over the area I knew she was in. It was tough to track her through the branches, with only the occasional flash of yellow or silver or the movements of the island’s goats to go by.

She became easier to follow as she passed out of the forest and into a high rocky part of the island, crouched low as she stalked an unaware ram. But there was an unlucky shift of the wind and he took off like a shot as her scent reached him, heedless of her futile efforts to pursue.

The goat bleated its triumph and relief as it escaped up the rocky slopes, but it was not to be. I hung in the sky until it was at the very top of its ascent before dropping like a stone to break its back, wings flared wide for an especially impressive entrance. My theatrics earned a squawk of surprise from Glimmer, and when I had made sure of my kill I looked up to see her on her rump, glaring reproach at me. Feeling smug, I took the carcass in my jaws and picked my way down the slope towards her.

By the time I reached her she had regained her composure, but she lost it again when I made an elegant bow and deposited the goat at her feet. It was a gratifying reaction. Glimmer likes to think she has the world figured out. She went a little quiet as she looked down at it, then at me as I waited for her response. She tugged the goat by one foot toward her, accepting the gift, and I purred.

With the formalities seen to, the human female grew apprehensive. She took a few big, cautious steps to the side, circling around me as she cast her eyes this way and that. When she was satisfied no one was watching she darted in suddenly and brushed her lips against my cheek. She was off again in a flash, scooping the goat over her shoulder and bounding off between the trees.

I tilted my head after her, tasting the air. That had gone well. At the very least, she had confirmed that I was right and she was really trying to court me, and court me properly, like a dragon. Briefly, I had worried that she wanted a human-style courtship, where we teased and flirted and did nice things for each other for years, with poor Fishbone caught in the middle. Allowing myself a self-satisfied warble, I turned to climb back up the slope so I could take off and head home.

Now, to see how she tried to top me.

 

~~~

 

As it turned out, I only needed to wait a few days. Glimmer began hanging around Fishbone’s day-nest, getting him to help her do something with hide and mountain-bone, and every time I tried to get a peek they would team up to hide it and shoo me away. It was maddening. I knew it must be for me, but they were _keeping_ it from me and it wasn’t _fair!_ Even when I stood on the nest and battered it with my forepaws to make the whole thing shake, they refused to yield. Eventually I gave up, If they didn’t want to share, they clearly didn’t need me around.

She next sought me out a few days after that. I had been sneaking a midday nap, using the shadow of a man-roost to avoid the heat of the sun and the nagging of my flock-- only for a few moments, of course. I emerged to find Glimmer leaning against the wood, waiting for me to reappear. She smiled as I blinked at her and bent in a greeting, almost but not quite submissive. She must have been feeling confident, because she stepped in close enough to trail a paw along my jawline and win a croon of pleasure from me. Then she turned and walked away. It wasn't until she looked back and babbled at me that I realized she wanted me to follow.

Fishbone was hanging around the front of the day-nest. as though guarding it while Glimmer was away. He perked up when he spotted us approaching and dashed inside, emerging a moment later burdened by something all wrapped in hide. He plopped it on the ground and made to undo the bindings, but Glimmer rushed forward and shooed him away. She wanted to do it herself.

Standing opposite me, and with obvious reverence, Glimmer unwound the clever arrangement of hides, revealing gleaming, polished mountain-bone. I sat still, despite my impatience. Glimmer was giving me a gift. It would be unsporting to muck it up by rushing her.

I eyed the present when it was revealed, twisting this way and that to try and make sense of it. Whatever it was, it looked splendid, gleaming like the sun in some places and a bright, rich red in others. I had no idea what to make of it, but it was clearly amazing. I accepted it quickly, then nosed it back toward Glimmer so she could show me how it worked. I was surprised when she looped the first part around my neck and fastened it to the hide-things that Fishbone keeps on me. I hadn’t realised it was meant to go on me.

They were funny, trying to attach the rest of it to me. Fishbone couldn’t help but caress between my frills, but would try to hide it from Glimmer. She, meanwhile, would every now and then interrupt her work to caress her little paw along my flank or under my wing. She didn’t quite know what she was doing, but there was clear affection in it and, if I wasn’t mistaken, a note of sensuality. Between them, I was purring madly and in serious danger of slipping out of my sheath and spoiling the moment.

I couldn’t see most of it by the time it was on me, so Fishbone tugged me toward the little pool he keeps in his cave for cooling his masterpieces. I blinked when I saw my reflection in the water. I looked _magnificent._ The present had been a tangle of interconnecting pieces, like Fishbone wears when we go into danger They wrapped around me and each other in plates that went down my back and along my tail like a second layer of scales. gleaming mountain-bone protected vital places like my head and heart, while softer hide let my neck and tail move freely. Glimmer had made armour for me. She wanted to keep me safe.

With a grateful croon, I rubbed my head against Glimmer’s arm. Then, deciding to mimic her little human gesture from earlier, I snuck up and kissed her cheek. Fishbone squawked and sputtered and seemed about to scold me, but Glimmer cut him off with some soft words and caressed my brow, leaving him blinking between us.

No matter how much I begged, Fishbone wouldn’t let me wear the armour all the time. He insisted we keep it in the night-nest, next to his, where we could get at it quickly if we needed it. I spent long hours brooding over it throughout the next couple of days, pondering what I could possibly do to respond to such a gift. For the time being, I settled for spending time with Glimmer, being by her side whenever Fishbone was and even without him sometimes, on days when my first mate was busy but the two of us weren’t. Glimmer read me well, returning my attentions with her brand of cool affection, idly stroking behind my neck while we lounged together, or splashing me with water one time while she was tending to her dragon partner’s things.

Eventually I was forced to have an awkward conversation with Quillflower. She had seen enough of our displays to get suspicious and demanded to know what my intentions were for Glimmer, since I had already swooped in and stolen her human's mate-to-be.

I didn’t see what the problem was, and I told her so. Glimmer had been set to be mated to one alpha and now she courted both of them. If anything, her situation had improved. But Quillflower persisted with her suspicious questions, acting as though I had insulted her human even after I explained what was going on. Eventually I realized that she was only pretending to be reluctant, trying to get something from me. For an unpleasant moment I thought she wanted to join in as well, but that was absurd. Three of us would be complicated enough, and I was only allowing it so we could have some hatchlings at some point. If we allowed everyone who wanted to mate with Fishbone or I to jump in bed with us, it would never end. Besides, I was pretty sure Quillflower already had a mate somewhere. I knew for a fact she’d already reared a clutch.

But I got my answer as Quillflower sidled up to me and mentioned, in an offhand sort of way, that she might be willing to overlook my bad manners if I made her my beta.

I snorted to conceal my amusement. Quillflower had already been my choice, and she probably knew it. If I ever wanted time alone with Fishbone and Glimmer, I needed someone to help me manage the flock, and Broad-Horn kept refusing. And though she’d never let me forget it if I she heard me say it, Quillflower is clever and loyal and had more than earned the position. So I pretended to scold her for pretending to be offended, agreed to let her be my beta and sent her off to find the big yearlings from the Ice Alpha's nest. I hadn’t seen them all day, which meant they were probably destroying something. When she was gone, I was free to return to the subject of Glimmer’s present.

Really, I eventually considered, I only had one option left. The biggest, most impressive present I could ever give. The only question was whether I was ready to give it, to tell Glimmer in no uncertain terms that I was willing to accept her as a mate. If I presented it to the female, my victory would be assured, and one way or another the courtship would be over. She would accept the gift or reject me, and I was surprised that the notion of losing her, however unlikely it may be, worried me.

I don’t normally worry about things. It’s just not in my nature, and it stuck in my craw. Eventually I realised I was being stupid and shook it off. Glimmer had been the one to start all this, after all. Of course she wanted me. And if she meant enough to me what I was afraid of losing her, then of course I wanted her. I had been thinking like Fishbone, I realised, sticking myself on every bad thing that could happen when the course of action ought to be clear.

With that settled, I turned my attention up the hill toward our night-nest, and began to plan.

 

~~~

 

That night, I announced my intentions to Fishbone by knocking aside the paper-scratches he was working on and stuffing my snout into his lap. My little human appreciates the direct approach, even if he never uses it himself. He swatted the back of my head in irritation, but only until I’d dragged my tongue along the growing bulge in his leg coverings. Then he seemed perfectly willing to do anything I told him to.

With that in mind, I nosed him up toward the chamber where we keep our nest, nosing between his rumpcheeks with a lusty growl to let him know exactly what I had planned. He may have proven he was perfectly capable of mounting me, after all, but there’s really no substitute for having your little mate stretched around you and begging for more.

From his reaction, he agreed that a return to form was in order. He was eager, now that I’d got him thinking about it. Between his projects and my efforts to woo Glimmer, we hadn’t had much of a chance to be intimate in the past few days.

Rump on the edge of the bed, Fishbone crossed one leg on top of the other and set about removing his false foot. When he noticed I was watching, he slowed, letting me see the way all the little tails on it twine together and wrap around his knee to keep it in place. He slid it off to reveal the stump of his leg, and I couldn’t help a wistful sigh. It was a daily reminder of the best, worst day of my life, and I can never think of the joy of freeing my flock without also picturing my best friend tumbling, lifeless, into the flames.

Fishbone, at least, never seems to mind much anymore, and his new leg that he made for himself lets him do just about anything he wants. I only wish I had been a little faster that day, a little stronger, a little more aware. I might have prevented him ever being hurt in the first place.

With a shake of my head, I got myself back on track. I had a plan, and if it went well, old injuries would be the last thing on our minds tonight. As Fishbone set aside his leg and started to work off his day-skins, I snuffled in close in search of exposed skin to lick. He barked and pawed at me, but this was a game we played a lot when I was feeling amorous at bedtime, and his scent was already shifting for me. When his leg coverings came off, I tossed them across the room as though I didn’t want them near him. He liked that. His upper skins got the same treatment and he was naked before me, smiling at me over his eager erection, completely ready for me.

That was when I stole his leg.

I was almost to the window with it by the time Fishbone could react, squawking in surprise and indignation and trying to leverage out of bed with only one foot to stand on. I had to drop his fake leg and tell him to stay there, and then tell him again and again when he wouldn’t listen. He would ruin my plans, I told him, if he didn’t _stay still._ When I was finally convinced he would do as he was told, I scooped up his leg and vaulted out into the night.

Glimmer was near her family’s nest, helping Quillflower finish up her evening grooming. They both smelled like excitement and the sky, and the human’s big tooth was dirty; they must have been off practice-fighting somewhere.

Something of my intentions must have shown in my attitude as I approached, because Quillflower, without needing to be asked, gave Glimmer an affectionate nuzzle and retreated to a respectful distance, watching with satisfaction and pride for her rider. The human, for her part, looked between us, straightening her posture and murmuring curiosity. With all the ceremony of any courtship gift ever given, I prostrated myself and laid Fishbone’s leg at her feet.

It may have been a little confusing, as far as final gifts went. Strictly speaking, it wasn’t mine to give. But I knew Glimmer would understand. I was willing to leave Fishbone vulnerable with her. I was trusting her to help me keep him safe. It was the most precious thing I could think to give her.

To my endless relief, she seemed to understand. With all the reverence I could have asked for, she knelt and picked up the discarded leg, hugging it against her chest. It was finished. She smiled at me.

I was thrilled, and not a little proud. Any dragon could win a mate, but only someone truly special would even think to get two, let alone two such prizes as Fishbone and Glimmer. Breaking out of the bow, I sprang to my feet and bounded right up to her. Tilting my head, I darted in and pressed my lips to hers, very gently. It was all right, I wanted to tell her. She didn’t have to try to be a dragon all the time. I knew how to be mated to a human.

She blinked as I broke the kiss, bringing a paw up to her mouth and murmuring to herself. Still giddy with triumph and eager to return to Fishbone, I turned and offered my shoulder, extending a wing in invitation.

Looking amused, she moved to climb on. But then she stopped, paw extended, staring at my belly. I followed her gaze and snorted. Between my stripping of Fishbone and my anticipation of what was about to happen, I was pretty excited. My member reflected this, poking a ways out of my sheath and gleaming red in the light of the humans’ little fires. Feeling impish, I gave my hips a shake that sent it waggling. I told her she’d best get used to it. She would be seeing a lot of it.

He mouth worked and the seemed to consider. For a moment I wondered if she somehow hadn’t expected in courting a male would end with mating, but then she bit her lower lip, and dashed back into the shelter of Quillflower’s nest. She undid come of her heavier coverings and left them behind, returned her dragon’s knowing chirp with an affectionate caress, and leapt onto my back without any further ceremony.

We returned at the nest just in time. Fishbone had gotten tired of sitting and was struggling to climb out of the bed with just one leg, muttering darkly to himself. He looked up when he heard me climb back in through the window, a complaint already forming, but froze like a deer when he saw I had Glimmer on my back. He stayed like that, making helpless, stupid noises, until she had slipped off to stand on her own. Then he hunched down over himself and covered his bits with his paws, babbling frantically to the female.

Sometimes I think Fishbone must have had a hard life before he met me. Whenever he gets surprised he gets this look of dread about him and it takes _forever_ to convince him something good is happening. His head snapped back and forth between Glimmer and I and he gaped like a fish, paws scrambling to conceal his flagging member. The poor little human cast about for his skins, but I had flung them all far from the bed and I ignored him when he barked for them.

Glimmer just stood there, looking between us, babbling to Fishbone in a soft voice and trying to hide a smirk. She set his leg against the wall, looking thoroughly amused. Looking to me, she gestured toward the nest as though asking a question. I bumped her toward him with my head and told her to stop being coy. She had gone to a lot of trouble to court Fishbone and I, and clearly we were saying yes. Or at least, I was. Fishbone would come around.

She laughed at both of us and began shucking her false skins. I sat back and watched the display, looking for the differences between her and Fishbone. Her skin, as it came into view, was a little paler, her scars fewer but larger. I finally learned what makes a female human’s chest stick out like it does: a pair of soft, fleshy mounds that swayed and bounced as she moved. I didn’t see the point, but Fishbone seemed to like them. She tossed the last of it aside, stretching in a way that got a little strangled sound from Fishbone. A new scent tingled my nose, like Fishbone’s arousal but lighter, sweeter.

The arrangement between her legs was more sensible than Fishbone’s. Just a simple slit with everything important tucked away inside where it belonged, and a little wisp of fluff for decoration. A yelp of protest came from Fishbone on the bed when I approached to give her a sniff, but Glimmer didn’t seem to mind. There was the tiniest bit of dewy moisture clinging to her slit, and when I flicked my tongue out to collect it she gave a high, happy sound like the chirp of a bird.. Small, strong digits caressed my nose and brow, urging me to continue, so I obliged her.

She laughed at the sprawled, helpless human male as I burrowed between her legs in search of more of her tastiness. Fishbone, for his part, only gaped. His eyes flicked madly between her face, her body, my face, between my legs, back to her face. He was red as the sunset.

From her earlier interest, I thought she would go to Fishbone straightaway. Instead she leaned into me, arching her hips against my muzzle, enjoying my tongue as I enjoyed her taste. She made some lovely sounds when I pressed my tongue a little ways up into her. Eventually she pulled away, kneeling to embrace my head, sliding smooth skin across my scales and letting her head-fluff fall about me. Those mounds on her chest were warm and soft against my nose, but when I tried to nuzzle between them she laughed and pressed her lips to my brow. Her fingers slipped in among my frills, and she must have seen Fishbone playing with them because she knew just the right spot to make my member throb and my body shiver all over.

She gave a satisfied hum, as though she liked being able to make me tremble like that. With a devious grin, she slipped her paw across my cheek and suddenly scritched hard at that one spot just below my chin. Instantly my legs turned to jelly and I hit the floor with a thud. Sprawled like that, chin on the floor and rump in the air, I watched through a haze of pleasure as she knelt down to kiss between my eyes before turning to the bed, hips swaying very pleasantly.

Fishbone tried one last time to protest as she sauntered toward him, to get away from the strange scary good situation, but she shut him up by wrapping her slender digits around the tip of his member. He shuddered and fell silent, and I smirked. See how he likes it.

She leaned in close and began murmuring to him, a calm, steady stream of man-words that she punctuated with the motions of her hands along his shaft.

It must have been a convincing speech, because by the time she was done talking, Fishbone was panting and smiling as he bucked up against her hand. He lunged forward, wrapped her in his paws, and she yelped in surprise and delight as she was borne down beneath him on the bed. They pawed at each other, lips locked together, as he got his knees under hers. She wriggled back against him, grabbing his paws and putting them on her chest, and I could almost see clearly enough between his legs to be able to see when he slipped inside her. They moaned together and their lips found each other as he sank to the hilt inside her, Glimmer’s legs slipping up around Fishbone, urging him onward.

I groused as I wobbled to my feet. I had been right. They had definitely done this before. Rather than be angry, though, I just licked my lips as I watched my first mate’s hips begin to move. I could still taste Glimmer at the corners of my mouth. I wanted more.

I drew my tongue up the back of Fishbone's leg, tasting the salt and lust on him. It was all the warning I gave either of them before I struck. Pressing Fishbone's legs aside, I shoved my head between them and swept his bits aside so my tongue could reach the place where their bodies were joined.

They both yelped at the touch of my tongue against sensitive flesh, but Fishbone didn't let the surprise stop him. I listened to them murmur to each other as they mated, purring approval to them as I explored their joining, . By themselves their tastes were lovely, but combined this way, scents sharpened by passion and need and love, they were addictive. I needed more.

Alas, it wasn't to be. As I traced the contours of Glimmer's sex with the tines of my tongue, she abruptly arched her back and yowled, clutching hard at Fishbone as her passage fluttered against my tongue. Just as suddenly, Fishbone stopped his thrusting and I backed away. I recognized the signs: He had come close to peaking, but was having too much fun to want to be finished yet. I gave them a moment to collect themselves, sitting back and trying to lick my face clean of spit and juices. Not that I had much luck. I'd made a glorious, rut-reeking mess of myself.

Fishbone recovered first, his hips suddenly bucking in renewed passion. She wasn't quite ready, but she recovered quickly, calling encouragement and arching against him.

Now that Glimmer had had her fun, it was high time I got properly involved. I gave Fishbone's rump a nip to make him twitch and remind him I was still there. Just as I prepared to use my tongue to get him ready, a particular musty smell hit me and I grinned, withdrawing. Fishbone keeps a little pod of slick, fragrant goo near our bed to make things easier when we mate. He had been getting himself ready for me while I had been out fetching Glimmer.

I hung back for a moment longer, pondering what I was going to do as the motions of Fishbone above and within her drew a coo of pleasure from Glimmer. I locked eyes with the female over Fishbone’s shoulders and she tightened her limbs around him, caressing along his back and legs. A triumphant smile creased her cheeks as he moaned into her head-fluff. The look in her eyes was easy to interpret.

 _Mine_ , she challenged.

I raised a brow. Clearly, there were still a few things to settle in this new arrangement of ours. I moved up onto the bed, stepping gingerly over their interwoven bodies as the increasingly-damp pile of furs sagged beneath my weight. Glimmer seemed surprised; she stammered my human name and shook Fishbone’s shoulder. When he had been pulled out of his stupor enough to turn his head, he only smiled, crooning reassurances to her as I mounted them.

Fishbone grinned back at me, flush-faced and panting with lust. I got the distinct impression I’d been forgiven for abandoning him. When I slipped my straining member along the cleft of his rump he groaned and arched against me, and he clung hard to Glimmer as I sank myself inside. She watched with wide eyes as I claimed the human male, pressing forward with slow, gentle insistence, feeliong that incredible tightness slipping down my length. I hilted, and we both moaned. It had gotten so much easier over time.

I wasted no time in starting, since my lovers both had a head start on me. I hunched and pumped my hips, pulling out and sinking deep. Glimmer was along for the ride as I sought my stride, pinned beneath both of us, wide-eyed and mumbling incredulously to Fishbone. To get her focused on what was important I bucked hard into Fishbone, making him croon and pushing him in turn into her. She mewled and clutched at him, tightening her grip.

I decided it was a good time to show off a little. Hunching over as I pressed myself into Fishbones snug, slick passage, I closed my eyes for a moment and brought up my inner-fire, letting the warmth and power suffuse me. I must have looked striking in the dark, casting bright blue light all around me. Glimmer was staring, and Fishbone stopped his wriggling to twist and admire me. They were both all love and awe. Perfect.

There was only one thing I needed to make the night complete.

It took a bit of willpower to stop my thrusting, but I could tell Fishbone was getting close again and I needed him to slow down a bit. I ignored the wonderful quivering of him around my shaft and leaned down to nuzzle the back of his head. I slid my nose in a long, sensuous line down to his shoulder, and I could tell by the shudder that ran through him when he realised what I wanted. To my endless joy, he tilted his head to the side without hesitation, giving me total access. I closed my lips around his shoulder, savouring his absolute trust, listening to Glimmer’s alarmed commentary. Then I bucked forward, hilting myself hard in Fishbone as I let my teeth sink just past the flesh.

Fishbone cried out and arched and pressed back against me, calling my name as he trembled. Mantling to keep my balance, I perched above the two humans, feeling Fishbone clenching around me and tasting the trickle of copper seeping around my teeth. Glimmer’s eyes were wide in the light from my body, washed pale by my power. I kept my grip and grinned at her, a growl of pleasure percolating in my gullet as I ensured Fishbone would have a nice, even row of shallow toothprints.

 _Mine_ , I corrected her.

Fishbone was coming unraveled quickly, moaning and trembling between us. It wouldn’t take much work to set him off, but I was so close myself that I didn’t dare move. Then Glimmer, apparently feeling left out, pulled herself closer to Fishbone, locked eyes with me through his head-fluff, and nibbled on his ear.

He imploded. Shuddering, gasping, caught between two sets of stinging, teasing teeth, he bucked hard against me, against Glimmer, his passage clenching tight around me as he poured himself into our new mate. This was all the stimulation I needed, and I shuddered and tensed, my teeth releasing Fishbone’s shoulder so I could snarl my climax! I bucked hard into Fishbone, flooding him with my essence, the excess of it spilling out onto the furs we lay on.

Fishbone and I panted into the still air of the room for a moment, minds buzzing, hearts hammering. Then, as one, we realised Glimmer still needed to be tended to. We fell on her together, though Fishbone had an easier time reaching her, since he didn’t have to get around himself. I made note of how much she liked it when he played with the mounds on her chest, but it wasn't until he slipped his hand down to the junction of their legs and began fiddling about that she really started to squirm. We wound up with out heads on either side of hers, Fishbone murmuring in her ear as I licked the salt from her throat and shoulder, guiding her inexorably toward climax. Suddenly she arched and gasped and I, acting on instinct, thrust hard into Fishbone one final time, driving his softening member deep into her.

Glimmer’s climax was lovely to behold, now that I could see it properly. She arched and shuddered, all her slender curves contorting, calling incoherent human sounds to the ceiling. Then she collapsed, limp beneath the sheltering bodies of Fishbone and I, struggling for breath and beaming. Sensing that things were winding down, I grunted and pulled myself out of Fishbone, getting a yelp from him and unleashing another slick flood onto the bed.

I flopped onto my side, full of sleepy self-satisfaction. I watched as my human lovers began to stir. little claws tangled in each other’s fluff as the murmured sweet nothings to each other. Fishbone stood first, pulling a barely-conscious Glimmer to her feet and leading her over to me. I spread my wing in invitation and purred with triumph as they clambered up onto me. They were both dripping seed and other juices, completely saturated with my scent. It was a good feeling.

I cradled the two of them against me, letting them intertwine in my embrace. We’d made a terrible mess, though it was hard to tell which of us cared the least. Fishbone was already asleep, and as I leaned in to clean a last trickle of blood from his shoulder Glimmer reached out to caress my jaw, her own eyes drooping.

At the caress of my lips across her brow she shivered in sleepy pleasure, burrowing into the warmth between Fishbone and myself. I regarded them as their breathing took on the same long, steady rhythm. Pale skin gleamed against my glossy black scales, the flush of arousal beginning to fade. They were so small. Even combined, their weight wasn’t uncomfortable against my breastbone.

I lay my forelegs on their flanks to keep them steady and folded my wings around their shoulders to ward away the cold. With a sigh of deepest contentment I curled to lay my head by theirs, drinking in the mingled scents of my lovers as I let myself begin to drift.

 _Mine_.

 

 

THE END

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Finally posted! This story's been percolating for some time, but needed some reworking in light of the second movie. Let me know what you guys think!


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